Working as a carer, whether that be as a paid carer or un-paid carer for a family member, can be challenging for some people’s mental wellbeing. It has been reported that many of those who work in the care sector are experiencing burn out and other negative emotions whilst working in the profession.
But how can you take steps to negate these feelings and look after yourself and the person you are caring for? Michael Berkley-Blezard at the Elmfield care group home Old Sarum Manor, shares his tips for protecting your wellbeing when working in care.
The signs of burn-out
Michael says: “Becoming burnt-out is something that happens over time, and the signs can include anxiety or depression. These can show up at work and at home and symptoms include severe exhaustion, feeling cut off from others, having no hope, energy, or reason for things to change.
Burnout can also look less obvious, for instance being unusually forgetful, catching more colds than usual, struggling to make simple decisions, or even feeling guilty for taking breaks. Sometimes carers don’t realise they’re burnt out because they don’t recognise the less common signs.”
- Take time for yourself
Michael shares: “Taking time for self-care is essential in preventing burn-out. This can look different for different people but simply taking time to exercise, focusing on proper nutrition and establishing a sleep routine will all help to make you feel more regulated.
“Trying to spend time doing hobbies is also a great way to practice self-care. Whether it be reading or playing 5-a-side with your friends, it can help you feel more likeyourself. Even if you can only do it for a couple of hours a week, it is important to carve out that time for yourself.”
- Speak up
Michael explains: “Whilst it may feel difficult, sometimes the best thing you can do is talk. Whether it be to your friends and family or you seek out additional support. Charities such as The Care Workers charity, Carers trust and Carers UK are accessible for all carers across the UK.
“If there is a serious issue or matter that is affecting your mental health and needs to be resolved, this is when you need to take things higher up to your manager or wider management. This will allow for any significant and drastic issues to be dealt with in a professional way, which will also take some of the pressure and stress off yourself. Whilst it may be tough to do this, it is always the route to take to ensure that problems are solved properly and stops them from impacting on your personalwellbeing.”
- Keep learning
Michael says: “Knowledge is power, sometimes learning and developing is a great way to support your mental wellbeing and reduce the likelihood of burn-out. This is for multiple reasons, one being that attending training courses may help you understand why situations are dealt with in a certain way. This will help you learn best practices which as a result, can lessen the stress associated with trying to make the right decision. A second reason being that continuously learning and widening your scope helps to keep your days varied and more exciting.
“You can also join support groups and learn from other people’s experiences, and share your knowledge with others. Connecting with other people in the same industry or position as you also creates a sense of community, which is seen to be beneficial in supporting mental wellbeing.”
- Reflection time
“Taking time to reflect on your day or week, or maybe month if you struggle to find time for it, is a great way to be able to check in with yourself and identify how you are feeling before you reach the point of burn-out,” Michael explains. “Journaling and writing down your thoughts, feelings and things that have happened allows you to process and understand them more.
“Whether you’re an unpaid carer or working within a care home, remembering the importance of what you do and how you care for and support the people you look after also helps to put feelings into perspective.”
- Set boundaries
Michael says: “Whilst it can be difficult, it is essential to advocate for yourself and your mental wellbeing and know your limits before you do become burnt-out. If you are consistently working more hours than you are supposed to or you are not taking any time to do activities that you enjoy, you need to be able to recognise this and try and put a stop to it.
“The simple act of only working your set hours and trying to not think about work or talk to people from work when not there, will contribute greatly to finding a work-life balance which ultimately leads to better mental-wellbeing and prevents burn-out. If you are an un-paid carer, respite care could be something that may benefit you and the person you care for.”
Karolina Gerlich, CEO of The Care Workers’ Charity, shares: “Looking after your wellbeing as a care worker is vital, not just for your own health, but for the people you support every day. The emotional and physical demands of care work can be overwhelming, and without proper support, burnout becomes a real risk. At The Care Workers’ Charity, we’re here to ensure no care worker faces those challenges alone. Whether it’s through mental health support, financial grants, or simply a listening ear, we are committed to helping carers take care of themselves, too.”
