4 ways to avoid burnout

As a busy entrepreneur and the master of your destiny, it can be easy to bury yourself in your work, after all, as a solopreneur you may never “leave” work, especially if you work from home. One thing that keeps coming up over and over again, is the importance of rest and pause. There is beauty in the pause and creativity in the rest. If we do not afford ourselves rest and pause, it can very quickly led to burnout.

Burnout is real and fortunately talked about more these days. When you work in healthcare you are giving of yourself and your time with each client interaction. The more you love what you do, the more energizing it is to the soul, but even the happiest workers get worn down. When you are a giver, it can be rejuvenating, but you still need to replenish your own cup so to speak.

Surrounding yourself with positive voices and having regular self-care practice are two ways to avoid burnout or compassion fatigue. As a business owner, you take on so many other hats than just your therapy services, outsourcing and automating become essential to streamline your work processes and reduce the overwhelm.

4 ways to avoid burnout

1. Time blocking – When planning out your week, we often start with appointments and tasks related to other people, our family, or clients. As caregivers and helping professionals, we often think about ourselves last, which means that when we are scheduling our week, only the “leftover” time allows us to take care of ourselves. You can prevent this by proactively planning for your own self-care first. When you sit down to plan your week, the first plan is in your own free time. I know, I know, I rolled my eyes too the first time. But trust me, try it out and notice how much more motivation you have to work when you honor yourself first. After you have created your plan, stick to it. This can often be the hardest part, let things be done at 80%, better done than perfect.

2. Compassionate Thoughts – With so much going on in our brains taking time out to meditate and have compassionate thoughts will provide a mental break from all the doing and being. This might look like reading a book, tuning into a podcast, engaging in a gratitude practice, or calling up a good friend. Here are a few resources to get you started:

Brene brown podcast
Louise hay thought cards
Gratitude journal

3. Regular Breaks – This is so much more than the necessary things, this is caring for yourself with intention. When you can sit still with yourself long enough, you will know what your soul needs, and for me, it often revolves around a few main areas:

Exercise – a walk or yoga
Social interaction – call a friend
Alone time – reading, meditation, being in nature
Engaging in a hobby

4. Automate and Outsource – There is an illusion that you can do all the things and do them well. That is a lie and contributes to burnout. Take inventory and focus on what you love doing in your business and outsource the tasks that deplete your energy.

- Commonly outsourced tasks – marketing/social media, home management, cleaning, child care.
- Ways to automate in your therapy practice –
  - Email reminders
  - Note templates
  - Online intake
  - Simple billing