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 reduce my workload to prevent burnout. Sometimes that looks like just one blog post a month that's then shared via social media.
I use DND regularly to block distractions so I can manage my time better. Everything is scheduled on a calendar so I can ensure I visually see when I may have too much going on and can plan accordingly/.
When I feel burn-out coming on I go for a walk in the outdoors, among the trees, creeks, and critters. I take my dogs of course because they will listen to me without question. I'm sure they understand every word. I worked in the Outdoor Rec business for 50+ years so of course I have an intimate relationship with the forest. I have always found solace and solutions there.
I re-prioritize my to do list to work on things that are needed to be done or can wait. I find that I consistently and unnecessarily add “have to be done” tasks to my list, which consistently requires a rebalancing of the list. I normally know when it’s time to do that when I feel overwhelmed or when I wake up early thinking about the tasks for the day rather than enjoying my gym time, reflecting time, and a cup of strong coffee. There are also times that I force myself to say “no” no matter how much I may want to say yes.
