If you follow us on instagram, you've probably noticed there's been a lot of chatter about burnout lately. Daniela and I are somewhat early on in our post-graduate careers and we are experiencing all of the twists and turns that come with it. I'm sure we could both confidently say that there have been days where the burnout has begun to creep up on us.
Fortunately, both of us have a few years of experience working in mental health prior to becoming therapists. This gives us an edge when it comes to recognizing the signs of burnout and knowing what we need to pull ourselves out of it. If you had asked me 5 years ago why I was cranky and miserable at work, I probably wouldn't have been able to tell you. Looking back now I realize it was burnout. I had no awareness of it at that time and, therefore, had no intervention for it. I just let it fester until it got to the point that I stepped down from my position (granted, treatment from my employer was certainly not helping). But perhaps if I had recognized the signs, set boundaries with my employer, and practiced a little more self-care, I would have been happier.
Today, Daniela and I are much more intentional in burnout prevention. We've been experimenting with how many clients we can handle in one day before becoming mentally exhausted and we try to make sure that it balances out with making time for ourselves. For Daniela, that looks like making time to explore the beautiful countries she's been traveling to. For me lately, it looks like making time for adventuring locally and getting outside as much as I can. We talk to each other when we're feeling stressed or overwhelmed with work. We know when to reach out for support. And, fortunately, we both have amazing partners who know how to step up on the days that we're a little extra tired.
Burnout prevention matters.
For us AND for our clients. It isn't sustainable to a have a long, successful career if we're constantly burned out and beaten down. And it doesn't do our clients any favors either. We may not be as sharp and focused in sessions, may be too burned out to provide tough feedback, may find ourselves struggling to empathize, etc.
So how can you be intentional in preventing burnout?
1. Know your limits.
This might take a bit of trial and error and that's okay!
2. Recognize the signs that you are beginning to burnout.
Be mindful of your mood, physical sensations, patience levels. What areas of your mood and behavior are affected when you are beginning to feel burned out and what does that look like?
3. Share the signs with loved ones and recruit support.
This is huge. Sharing this info with loved ones gives them the opportunity to bring it to you're attention if you're too deep into your work to realize you're burning out. Let your loved ones support you in the tough moments.
4. Have self-care on deck that you know works for you.
This one may also take some trial and error. You should know what kind of self-care will help to ground you and bring you back to baseline. For me, it's getting outside, doing my monthly massage (Massage Envy has a great membership package!), and getting lost in a good movie or show.
5. Download our burnout prevention plan!
The plan is short and concise. You can fill it out in ten minutes and keep it close by for the chaotic, stressful moments where you may not be able to think clearly about triggers, interventions, etc. You can find this download in our shop for FREE!
Let's support each other in taking care of ourselves and being intentional in preventing burnout. Our mental health promises better outcomes for our clients and, collectively, a healthier society.
Sending love!
Your hustler,
Karina G., RCSWI
Comments