Simple Ways to Make it Through the Week
How are you feeling this week. No really. Like how are you feeling? If you’re like me, you’re probably a bit burnt out. For some reason, the toll of the last almost 2 years has been catching up, and trying to stay on top of all the things is tricky! Patients are overdue and presenting with more calculus or disease than ever before (not to mention their stress levels and change in daily schedules has completely switched up their home care routines). Offices are either busy busy busy or completely dead with last minute cancellations due to illness and exposures. Public schools are going back and forth from in person learning to online learning, which we know as educated moms get the brunt of the homework help. It’s a lot! We as dental hygienists aren’t the only ones feeling the impact of all the changes, but there are simple things we CAN do during the day to make our hygiene day a little bit better.
Take a CE Course. I know, I know. Sometimes the last thing you need is something else dental related on your plate. But, learning something new could help inspire you to change up how you practice or help your next patient you see in your chair. I have loved learning about airway the past few years. The best part of learning about airway was 1 pedo patient that was having a hard time with sleep and learning at school and the caregiver was out of options as they’ve tested him for everything. However, after a simple airway test through our recommendation, they found out that he was having sleep apnea at night, got his tonsils removed, had ortho and oral myology, and was now thriving in school. With some simple suggestions and referrals that went along with my personal research, it was able to change someone's life. That definitely makes being a dental hygienist worth it.
Take it one day at a time. I’ve noticed these last few years that the more I look into the future, see how much I can’t plan for and control, the more anxious I get. So, taking it one day at a time and planning on accomplishing 1 thing a day instead of 10 has helped a lot. Have I not accomplished as much as I’d like? Yes. But, practicing this self care has been helpful for my mind.
Get a new pair of scrubs or lab jacket. Nothing is better than a new something to wear, even if it's just to work. It’s always nice to have something new and fresh to wear.
Get some sleep. Make sure you turn off your phone at a decent hour to make sure you can get some sleep. Heck, maybe make a charging station outside of your bedroom to keep the scrolling temptation at bay in the evening. Getting a great amount of rest will help recharge the batteries for the next clinical day.
You got this, RDH! This is as crazy time of life with lots of changes, but we can get through this together, one day at a time.
What are you doing to get through each day as a dental hygienist?