A certain level of stress in veterinary medicine may be unavoidable, but you can use various strategies and coping skills to keep work-related pressure in check, stay healthy, and become more resilient.

According to a study, 52% of veterinarians experience stress on the job. Continue below to learn how to manage and reduce workplace stress using mindfulness, self-care, and social support.

1. Learn To Identify Good and Bad Stress

The word “stress” has a negative connotation that’s somewhat unwarranted. 

Not all stress is bad. 

Occasional short-term challenges can keep you energized, motivate you to set and achieve goals and boost your professional performance. According to some studies, good stress may even have health benefits. 

Chronic stress, on the other hand, is bad for you — even moderate amounts. 

Over time, this type of stress can wear you out both physically and mentally, resulting in anxiety, decreased performance, poor concentration, and more.

As veterinary professionals are at a higher risk of experiencing workplace stress than the average professional, it’s essential to learn to identify good and bad stress. 

That will enable you to take measures to nip negative stress in the bud and use positive stress to develop as a professional and grow your veterinary practice. 

Common symptoms of chronic stress include:

• Fatigue 

• Headaches

• Rapid heartbeat

• Shallow or rapid breathing

• Appetite changes

• Sleep disturbances

• Body aches

• Anxiety 

• Depression 

• Digestive issues 

• Hypertension 

• Hyperventilation 

• Irritability or mood swings

2. Set Healthy Boundaries With Clients

Practice-Pet Owner relationships are significant sources of stress in veterinary medicine. 

No matter how friendly you and your staff may be, some people still won’t enjoy their visits to your practice or appreciate the level of care that you provide to their fur babies. 

Clients are so focused on making sure that their pet is taken care of that they start emitting negative emotions. These emotions can easily spill over to you without you even realizing it.

It’s essential that you learn not to internalize client anxiety, especially if you are a highly sensitive or empathetic person. You can sympathize with clients without empathizing with them.

One way to do that is by assuming an active role in the process and helping people through the anxiety that pet owners have regarding the health of their pets.

3. Make Self-Care Non-Negotiable

In your line of work, self-care isn’t optional. 

It’s extremely important that you set aside time to recharge your batteries daily. 

Otherwise, there may be negative consequences not just for you but for your clients as well.

The good news is that many self-care practices can fit seamlessly into your busy schedule. Even something as simple as not skipping lunch breaks or doing short breathing and mindfulness exercises between appointments can be very beneficial for your physical and mental health.

Other potential self-care strategies you may want to explore include:

• Exercising

• Meditating 

• Spending time in nature

• Building a regular spiritual practice

• Engaging in hobbies or creative pursuits 

• Socializing with friends and family

• Getting massages

• Going on trips

The only limit is your imagination. 

Any activity that improves your physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual health can help decrease your overall stress and make you more resilient.

4. Build a Robust Support Network

Social support is critical for improving resilience to stress. 

In addition to bonding with the people in your personal life, consider investing time and effort into your work relationships as well. Connecting with people who are going through similar challenges can help validate your emotions and make the experience less stressful overall. 

One of the best ways to build rapport within your team is to improve veterinary practice communication. When everyone in your practice is communicating effectively, you avoid unnecessary stress that comes from miscommunications.

Reduce Stress in Your Veterinary Practice with Chckup

At Chckup, we understand that efficient collaboration and good interpersonal relationships are critical for a successful, stress-free veterinary practice. That’s why we designed our veterinary software solutions to help you drastically improve team rapport and performance, without doing more work.

Don’t take our word for it. Contact us today to schedule a free demo to see the system in action.