a community of practitioners

Combating burnout

Hi Everyone,
I've finally made it over the 5-years in practice hurdle. I want to continue in this field and not become another statistic. However, I am having some issues with mental and emotional fatigue. Is anyone struggling with this now or has struggled with it? If so, what have you done to overcome it?

Sorry to have worded this like a test question...thanks for your input.

Blessings,

Kim Rogers

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Chad Guyer on July 29, 2009 at 10:50pm

hell yeah! it's tough, for sure. I think, for me, it will come with learning new things. It seems like I've been getting too bogged down in the mundane and need to remember why I became so interested in this in the first place. Fortunately, it didn't take a major injury for me to see that, though others around me have suffered injuries and came to this same realization. One way or another, this "issue" will come the front sooner or later.

One thing I realized a long time ago is that simply recharging or resetting is important. Use your time off wisely and do things that you enjoy. I find the outdoors to be an incredibly important element for me. Then, returning to work isn't so hard as I know I had time for myself.

Permalink Reply by Karina Braun on July 30, 2009 at 10:43am

Great question and great response! I was writing a book Creating Peace with Your Hands when I injured my low back and ankles. It took a major injury for me to finish the book. I was literally taken off of my feet to complete it. Practicioners that do barefoot massage do not think that they can get injured becuase they are not using their hands.
Chad is right on. Taking a vacation or getting into nature recharges your battery. Remember that emotional and mental burnout go hand in hand with physical fatigue. Take a vacation, go hiking for an hour, or get an energy session to clear your energy. We as bodyworkers need to clear our energy to reduce burnout. Saty healthy and do self-care techniques to combat injury.

Karina
www.igetintouch.com
Education and injury prevention for bodyworkers

Permalink Reply by Marilyn St.John on October 1, 2009 at 2:23am

Oooh, I'm trying to circumvent that same experience as I hit the 5-year mark myself, Kim! Some days I sort-of feel like a"one-trick pony" and can start to understand why people get bored or burned out & quit...and that's pretty scary to me because I intend to keep doing this for a long time! For what it's worth, here's my own short-term solution ~ hope it's helpful.

Taking an occasional online class or reading journal articles has helped to inspire me, as does discovering the wealth of information and perspectives on this networking site.

Changing-up my music selection helps me avoid the eventual malais brought on by too many waterfalls & flutes...it was a happy discovery that most of my clients actually prefer blues or classical music, and it occasionally leads to a few interesting discussions.

Remembering to do Reiki self-care and yoga as often as possible helps me stay centered & balanced on all levels.