Answer to Question 1
Smith and Moss (2009) write about the importance of self-care to prevent burnout and impairment of psychologists. Their recommendations are applicable to other helping professionals and many other occupational groups as well. As the name implies, self-care means that each individual takes responsibility for using strategies that prevent or minimize burnout and other forms of professional impairment. Some of these approaches are broad and designed to enhance one's emotional well-being such as staying self-aware (e.g., monitoring burn out tendencies), using humor, sharing quality time with friends and family, setting limits and boundaries, engaging in wellness behaviors (exercise, good diet, regular sleep), enjoying leisure activities including taking vacations, and practicing one's spiritual beliefs. Their other approaches focus on occupational strategies such as staying current and informed to maintain or increase professional competencies (e.g., attending professional development workshops), consulting with other professionals on a regular basis (including perhaps a mentor), exercising greater control over one's work environment when appropriate, and maintaining a healthy balance between work and personal life.
Answer to Question 2
Besides burnout's role in the development of cardiovascular disease, it also predicts the development of Type 2 diabetes. In a prospective study of 677 apparently healthy workers followed for 3 to 5 years, Melamed and his associates (Melamed, Shirom, Toker, & Sharpira, 2006) determined that burnout at baseline increased the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by almost two-fold even after adjusting for other relevant risk factors. In addition, Melamed (2009) discovered in his prospective study of 650 workers who were healthy at baseline that their initial burnout levels predicted their risk of developing neck, shoulder, or low back pain at the study's 3 to 5 year follow-up. He found a 1.67 increased risk after adjusting for possible confounding variables. Therefore, it appears that burnout is not only a risk for heart disease, but also for other health conditions such as Type 2 diabetes and musculoskeletal pain.
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