Beating Burnout: Getting in the Ring!

It’s the end of the year. There’s cold air, there’s Christmas stories and holiday parties. However, for my fellow mental health professionals this time  of the year can be very hectic. It is often spent with schedule changes to accommodate clients, preparing client’s for unwanted family encounters and re-grounding them as past trauma resurfaces.

This means that it is also a time for burnout. In the mental health profession we are constantly discussing burnout. I’ve heard it and if you’re reading this you’ve likely heard it as well.

What is burnout? I define burnout as mental, emotional, spiritual, physical and/or physiological exhaustion that affects how present you are in your everyday work. In layman’s terms, you’re physically present but your head is not in the game.

Some common signs of burnout:

• Lateness to work

• Difficulty getting out of bed on workdays

• Decreased quality in documentation

• Thinner patience

• Decreased energy levels

• Lessened work socialization

Feeling like I am talking to you? It’s alright. We have all been there. Keep reading.

Here’s 3 tips for Beating Burnout:

1. Increase your self-care routine. Been there done that? Try scheduling your self care just as you schedule any other appointment. You wont regret those monthly massages!

2. Lessen your load (caseload and person obligations) In other words….Say, NO.

3. Plan to do something you’ve always wanted. Plan that trip, take that cooking class or reserve that free yoga pass!