Patient Leader Certification: Balance and Burnout
What's one strategy for managing balance and burnout that you can use right away? Why did you choose it?
I like to prioritize the things I need to do and figure out what can wait and what I can even say no to or save for later. I also love to escape. Into a TV show or a book. Someone else's story that is different from my own. Sometimes the break from my life and disease and advocacy is enough to reset me.
, that is such an important skill. It is too easy to gaslight yourself into making everything more important than yourself. - Warmly, Donna (Team Member)
Any time I feel overwhelemed or burned out, I always return to listening to meditative music to help settle things. It's such a simple strategy, that I often forget how easy it is to access anywhere I am.
You cannot drink from an empty cup and for me I used to have a hard time saying no. I learned that its ok to say no. Because I love advocating and at one point it was becoming a chore. I took a step back and gave myself some grace and rest and chose to not take on anything new, and even stepped down from a couple of things. I just focused on me for a moment and then when ready went back to what I loved suddenly seemed like a fresh start. What I had to understand is people assume you’re endlessly available and sometimes they forget you also have a chronic condition.
, sounds like you have achieved a beautiful balance in your life. That is amazng and something many of us (I'm talking to myself here!) could learn. Grace to oneself and being okay with saying no is something that people, especially women, of my generation were told was not okay. Thank you for sharing that there is life after "no". - Warmly, Donna (Team Member)
I cant narrow it down to 1 as I kind of already use and my most successful strategies are leveraging my strengths while intentionally seeking support. I chose this because I’m most energized and effective when I focus on the parts of advocacy that align with my skills and passions, rather than trying to carry every responsibility myself. When I combine that with seeking support—whether that’s sharing tasks, asking questions, or leaning on peers for reassurance—it helps prevent burnout before it builds. This approach allows me to stay connected, impactful, and present without sacrificing my well-being, and it reinforces that sustainable leadership is rooted in collaboration, not overextension.
