1. Plan and communicate
A rewarding job and a personal development plan are the building blocks to ensuring you can keep growing, learning and maintaining your professional purpose. When you begin a new role in practice, it is important to take time communicating with your line manager and team about what your role will be. Talk about the job description and expectations so that you can start on the same page with clear goals. Share any further interests you may have and how you can work on these; for example, through clinical specialist qualifications or volunteering time to eye health charities.
2. Managing change
You may experience change in a variety of ways. You may move to a new location, work in a different company to where you did your training and maybe with new or different colleagues. Change is a constant in life but it can take time to adjust, so give yourself that time and space to become familiar with the unfamiliar. Get to know your colleagues and work on building those relationships, from going for lunch with someone instead of on your own, to having conversations about their last holiday, family or interests.
3. Reducing burnout
Burnout can be one of the biggest causes of stress in the profession. It is important to acknowledge times when you are feeling overworked, overwhelmed and stressed. Take a look at the cause, is it a single thing or multiple stressors? Speak to your manager as the first step and communicate how you feel. Explore options on whether you can work on time management, managing your clinic diary better and ensuring you are getting adequate breaks. Don’t wait for things to improve on their own, or ‘put up’ with something that doesn’t feel right, and always reach out for support. It may help to explore flexible working options to support your wellbeing and lifestyle better.
4. Work-life balance 
Creating a work-life balance is vital in ensuring you are thriving in your role, while still enjoying your personal time. Are you arriving at work very early, working through your lunch break and then returning home late with very little time for yourself? Building healthy boundaries between work and personal life is important. In your lunch break, take a mental break and step away from your work space. Re-energise yourself by going for a walk, listening to a podcast, or meeting with a friend for coffee and enjoy a break without thinking about work. If you are always leaving late, reflect on what changes you can make and ask for support, if required.
5. Connect
Stay connected with peers in the profession. When you transition from a learning environment to a working environment, you take on more responsibility to work independently on your goals for the next steps of your career while settling into your place of work. Learning environments are more structured so entering a new workplace can feel isolating and overwhelming. Therefore, it’s vital to stay connected with others, whether that’s people you met whilst studying, online forums or in-person events, including CPD workshops or conferences.
6. Building healthy habits 
Focus on the foundation of sleep, hydration, nutrition and exercise. The initial transition period may make you feel tired, stressed or anxious, so implementing a good routine for yourself will support your daily wellbeing. Ensure you get a good quality and quantity of sleep, so you are feeling refreshed and renewed for the working day. Give yourself time to prepare and plan your meals. Working on your physical health will positively impact your mental health so schedule in exercise where possible.
7. Purpose and passion
You have worked incredibly hard to qualify in your new role. It’s important to begin your new career and transition with motivation and excitement in delivering the best care with your skills. Work on your self-care alongside strengthening work relationships, schedule in time for your hobbies, meeting friends, reading and all the things that bring you comfort and joy. When you feel good in yourself, your confidence will continue to build, your purpose will stay ignited and you can continue to flourish in your role.
- Sheena Tanna-Shah is a rapid transformation therapy practitioner, mindset coach, optometrist, author of The Power of Being Perfectly Imperfect and runs her wellbeing company, Inspiring Success.
