Out of all the skills that are utilized in the mortuary science industry, compassion and empathy can be the most taxing to use everyday. With that being said, it is very important that those who are pursuing a mortuary science career pursue self care rituals early on. Let’s explore some tips for students managing emotions in mortuary science education.
Prioritizing Self Care
The earlier into your career that you find a self care ritual that works with your life, the easier it is to implement it into your life long term. This is especially true for those who are working in the mortuary science industry.
Most funeral directors are always on the clock, which means that there really isn’t a way to fully disconnect from work. This often leads to mortuary science professionals facing compassion fatigue.
Some quick self care practices that can be fit into any schedule include:
- Meditation. Meditation can be done in a variety of ways, like prayer, yoga, or simple meditation exercises. Most of these practices can provide some mental clarity even if they’re done for a few minutes.
- Physical Activity. You don’t need to have an entire gym routine to engage in physical activity to help your mental health. Finding time for a 20 minute walk can be just as effective.
- Making Time For Something You Love. It can be hard to balance your hobbies, passions, and work/school, but making time for a relaxing hobby that you enjoy can make a world of a difference in preventing burnout.
Recognizing the Signs of Burnout
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), burnout is a syndrome that results from chronic workplace stress that isn’t managed properly. While it is not a medical condition, unmanaged burnout can cause physical and mental health issues.
Some basic signs of burnout are:
- Low levels of energy/chronic exhaustion
- Motivation loss
- Feelings of hopelessness
- Isolation from loved ones
- Reduced efficiency in work (i.e. procrastination, the inability to keep up)
- Frequent head and muscle aches
Burnout can appear differently for everyone, so it is possible to be burnt out from your job without experiencing every symptom.
Managing Burnout
One of the best ways to manage and prevent burnout is to ensure that you have a reliable support system. It is difficult to manage workplace stress alone, especially when working in the mortuary science field.
If things are getting too intense for your loved ones to help you cope with, making time to speak to a professional therapist is also a great way to manage burnout. Your therapist can also provide you with ways to manage your emotions that fits perfectly to your life and situation.
Lastly, don’t be afraid to be honest with yourself about your feelings. When working in a profession that so many people rely on you for emotionally, it is important to know when you need to take a step back and focus on yourself. It is much harder to properly care for your clients if you are not caring for yourself.
Final Thoughts
Knowing how to manage your mental health is something that is just as important as nailing a study technique that works for you. You could pass your mortuary science courses with flying colors, but not knowing how to take care of yourself in such a taxing career will be detrimental to your success.
