Volume 39 Number 5 | October 2025
Summary
Jennylyn Capones explores how stress and negativity contribute to burnout among medical laboratory professionals and emphasizes the need to reset one’s mindset. She highlights workplace wellness resources such as mindfulness apps, counseling services, and resilience programs, while also stressing the importance of unplugging, taking time off, and seeking support. Like lab analyzers, she reminds us, people also need resets to thrive.
Thriving beyond Burnout
Jennylyn Capones, MLS(ASCPi)CM, ASCLS Today Volunteer Contributor
Have you ever found yourself saying, “I’m done,” “I’m drained,” or “I’m fed up,” after a long day at work? Or, after finishing a demanding shift, has a loved one asked about your day, only for you to reply, “Same old, same old”? These phrases are all-too-familiar expressions of the stress and burnout many of us experience from our daily tasks.
As healthcare workers, the demanding nature of our jobs puts us at higher risk for mental health issues and long-term stress (Ho et al., 2024). Laboratory professionals face unique challenges: less direct exposure to patients, repetitive routines, and long hours make us susceptible to burnout syndrome. Although we recognize the importance of our roles in delivering quality healthcare, we may find ourselves cycling through phases of burnout—overcoming it for a time, only to feel its effects again later. This cycle makes it even more important to reset our mindset and proactively invest in resilience.
From my own experience, much of the stress I feel comes from the negativity of others. For example, you might begin your shift in good spirits, only to have a coworker immediately start venting or complaining. The negative mood can be contagious, instantly altering the atmosphere.
Navigating interactions with negative colleagues is challenging, and staying focused after such encounters can be daunting. I do my best to concentrate on my own tasks and avoid escalating negativity with complaints of my own, but there’s only so much negativity you can take before it wears you down—sometimes to the point where one might question whether you’re even in the right workplace or not.
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”
— Anne Lamott
Lingering negativity doesn’t stay confined to the workplace, either. It can seep into our personal lives, straining relationships and diminishing our overall sense of fulfillment. If a negative atmosphere goes unchecked, it drains our strength and determination, making it more difficult to perform at our highest potential in everyday tasks. Most of the time, I tend to cling to the “Art of Ignoring” as a way to protect my energy and stay focused.
Tools for Refueling Mental Health
My current facility in Mid-Missouri makes a strong effort to support employees’ well-being. To provide excellent care for our patients, we must also prioritize our own physical, emotional, and mental health. In line with our increasingly digital world, my workplace offers free access to a mobile app for employees to check in with their well-being each day. The app helps employees assess their motivation and mindset and offers resources such as the “Unwinding” program with support for stress management, including breathing exercises, mindfulness practices, and mini courses to help build resilience in clinical settings. Employees can also earn incentives by completing wellness activities and challenges. In addition, Personal Assistance Services (PAS) provide access to coaching and counseling sessions for mental health support. These initiatives are important steps toward equipping healthcare workers with the resilience needed for our fast-paced, ever-changing work environment.
If you are in a benefit-eligible role, check with your supervisor or laboratory manager to learn what resources are available for stress and burnout management. Sharing your feelings with a supervisor can help ease the burden you carry. I learned in my Clinical Management class that our leaders can sometimes act as counselors or at least direct you to helpful resources. Remember: your feelings about stress and burnout are valid, and you should never hesitate to share your concerns. Supervisors often work closely with HR, who can connect you to additional support.
Most importantly, don’t forget to take time off when you need it. A colleague once advised me to avoid reading work emails outside of working hours—a simple but powerful way to unplug. Consider taking a short trip to another city or spending time in nature. Even a brief change of scenery can help reset your mind and ease job-related stress.
Just like how our lab analyzers benefit from a restart, we, too, need breaks to recharge. This quote from the writer Anne Lamott sums it up perfectly: “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”
Reference
Ho, S. S., Sosina, W., DePierro, J. M., Perez, S., Khan, A., Starkweather, S., Marin, D. B., Sharma, V., Ripp, J. A., Peccoralo, L. A., & Charney, D. S. (2024). Promoting Resilience in Healthcare Workers: A Preventative Mental Health Education Program. International journal of environmental research and public health, 21(10), 1365. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21101365
Jennylyn Capones is a Clinical Lab Scientist (Generalist) at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital Jefferson City, Missouri, and is a graduate student pursuing MHS in Clinical & Diagnostic Science with emphasis in Clinical Laboratory Science at the University of Missouri.