Bad Burnout Advice: Why the Most Popular Advice about Veterinary Burnout Doesn’t Work, and What You Can Do Instead!

Burnout is one of the most frustrating things that a veterinarian can experience. If you’re anything like me, you want to enjoy what you do.

After all – you spent years of your life studying and perfecting your craft, and now intense professional burnout has you wishing that you could just “Gone Girl” your day job.

This is NOT what you signed up for! 

Even worse, is that while you are feeling super frazzled and burned out, you’re likely to get some less than helpful advice from well-meaning friends, coworkers, or mentors. 

I’ve heard it all – one mentor (who I really respect) told me “Burnout is real. You should try yoga.” What I wanted to say in response was “Thanks doc, but what I really might need is a lobotomy, I don’t know that yoga is going to do the trick,” but instead I smiled, thanked them, and decided to find my own way to battle burnout. 

In this post, I’m going to talk about some popular advice that people often give to veterinarians who are struggling with burnout. I’ll discuss WHY this advice is bad or doesn’t work, and what you can do instead – on a scalable level of good, better, and best- to help you enjoy your life again.

Please note: This advice isn’t about dealing with burnout at the clinic, but about things that you can do in your life at home to help your mind and spirit be more prepared for dealing with the stressors that cause burnout at work. We’ll get more into the nitty-gritty in future episodes, but this is an excellent place to start! 

Bad Burnout Advice #1: Take a Vacation

Why This Doesn’t Work: 

It’s my theory that this advice originated from other professions, where employees can just take a personal day without drastically altering the work flow and appointment schedule of a practice. 

While a vacation is a great way to get a break and separate yourself from the stressor, it doesn’t actually help you deal with any of the stress… When you get back from vacation, burnout will be waiting for you. 

Not only that, but the act of taking a vacation is an entire stressor on its own – especially if you have kids or pets that need to be dealt with. 

How often have you come back from a vacation and felt like you needed a vacation from your vacation? It happens all of the time. 

Instead of taking a vacation, here are three other ways for you to get some space in your life and schedule: 

Good: Take a LUNCH break.

I’m dead serious. Leave the building, turn off your phone, and stop thinking about work for 45 minutes during the day. Use this time to read, stare out the window of a Wendy’s, or do ANYTHING that doesn’t involve your day to day. 

Better: Delegate Your Other Chores.

If you have a spouse, ask if they can pick up your slack for a couple of days while you do something that you enjoy. This isn’t a permanent thing; 2-3 days may even be enough time. You can also hire a house cleaner, a babysitter- do whatever you can to off load some of the responsibilities on your shoulders. It won’t change how things are at work, but hopefully it will help you rest so that you are more equipped at work.

Best: Plan a weekend staycation.

I’m talking about a 2 day long weekend of fun. Maybe for your, fun is just relaxing at home with your spouse (or by yourself) watching netflix or binge-reading the ACOTAR series. Or, it could mean spending one day out on the town, going hiking, doing whatever makes you feel alive. 

The only rules of this weekend are: 

1. You do nothing work related. Period. You don’t even look at an animal if you can help it (unless you go to the zoo or go horseback riding, but I digress). 
2. You do something that reminds you that you are a human being who likes things and stuff. I know that sounds really silly. But sometimes just remembering that we are entire people outside of our regular day-to-day can be HUGE for breaking through burnout 
3. You don’t wear yourself out. Don’t come back from your staycation and need another one to recover. If you are energized by being busy and doing things, do them, but don’t forget to block off some “lazy time” if you need so that you can recharge and jump into Monday feeling refreshed. 

Bad Burnout Advice #2: “Try Yoga.” 

If my mentor reads this- I’m sorry doc, please don’t take it personally- really love your advice most of the time! 

This advice fell flat for me because I am notoriously bad at yoga and all things flexibility, so much so that I would often get FRUSTRATED during yoga! Besides, I have other hobbies, and adding an entire other one sounded like it would be more work, which would ultimately cause me to be more burned out. 

Trying hobbies like yoga may be a GREAT way to relieve stress and I do highly recommend something like yoga, meditation, or breath work to help you build resilience, mindfulness, and PREVENT burnout. But this advice isn’t helpful when you’re in the active stages of burnout. Here’s why: 

First, adding one more thing to your plate feels overwhelming. “You’re telling me that- on top of the 40 hours I’m working, my family obligations, my hobbies, and all the household stuff that needs to be done- now I need to somehow find time to go to a yoga studio 2-3 times a week? No way!” 

Also, trying new things is really scary- especially if you’re already in a vulnerable mental state. Burnout can make it difficult for your brain to differentiate between “safe” and “danger.” Going somewhere new with new people (and the high probability of looking foolish in certain yoga positions?)= Danger, especially to a stressed-out brain.

Instead, try a few other things to help you connect to your body- WITHOUT the added pressure or scheduling challenges. 

Good: Take a hot bath. The goal is for you to feel good in your body, so spend 30-90 minutes whenever you can soaking in some epsom salt. Bring the bubble bath, candles, face masks – whatever will make the experience more fun and relaxing. You can even bring a book to read, but do NOT bring your cell phone. 

Better: Stretch. OK, I know I said yoga was bad advice, so it feels a little hypocritical to put stretching on this list. I’ve found that the idea of “yoga” often evokes some feelings of skepticism and anxiety about the practice.

Stretching at home when you wake up and briefly before bed (or while you watch TV) is “no strings attached.” The only people who will see you are your pets (of your family), and there is no expectation about being good at stretching. Not sure where to start? Search youtube for some easy mobility stretches.  

Best: Go for a walk (or do some other form of physical activity). When I was in some of the worst phases of my burnout, I started meeting my wife for walks on Tuesdays. It was one of the few days where we didn’t have anything planned after work, and we would meet at a park near us, walk a mile or so, and chat about our days. Especially if the weather is nice, this is a GREAT way to feel more connected to yourself, nature, and other people (who you can invite to walk with you). 

Bad Burnout Advice #3: “Start Eating Better” 

On the surface, this is actually pretty good advice. After all, who among us wouldn’t benefit from eating a bit cleaner? However, this advice can be a little bit patrnoizing, and is hard to follow if you’re suffering from burnout. 

Why This Advice Doesn’t Work 

Again, we’re adding another vague “to do list” on top of an already stressed mind and spirit. If you’re not already eating a healthy diet, chances are that you’re not going to be able to overhaul your eating habits in a week or two – ESPECIALLY while you’re barely holding on.

Instead, here are some smaller, more actionable tips to help you take better care of yourself. 

Good: Wean down your caffeine intake. I know this one can feel impossible, and I want to suggest a reasonable way to wean it down – do NOT go cold turkey or you will suffer from terrible headaches, and likely a grouchy mood. 

Decrease your intake gradually! A few months ago, I was drinking 200-300 mg of caffeine daily, and I was an anxious mess. My daily caffeine intake went from one 300 mg celcius to:

• a regular Celcius in the morning, which has about 200 mg of caffeine
• Then I weaned down to the larger, flavored red bull. This has about 120 mg of caffeine. I did this for a couple of weeks, then went to
• A Small Red Bull Zero, which has 80 mg of caffeine
• Next, I started drinking coffee/tea in the morning. I still will have a red bull zero on occasion for a “boost,” but it is no longer a “must have.”

I have definitely noticed an improvement in my mood and anxiety!

Better: Stop eating out as much. This advice is much more actionable, and less nebulous than “eat better.” Think about how many times per week you eat fast food or at a restaurant and try to decrease that by 25-50% at first. Instead, try cooking at home.

I know we’re adding another “to do list” item, but cooking is a great way to practice mindfulness. You can also cook with your significant other for a fun activity to do together. The meals don’t have to be fancy (or even very healthy), but by cooking at home you will already be healthier than you had been! 

Best: Prioritize Protein. I have definitely noticed a major shift in my mood, mindset, and health when I make a plan to prioritize protein. This doesn’t have to be crazy – you don’t have to eat 200 grams a day or anything like that.

To start, add in a protein-rich breakfast or afternoon snack. I love protein shakes because I can drink them on my long commute, but meat, tofu, and yogurt are all excellent options. Add in an extra protein boost once a day for two weeks and see if you notice a difference in how your body and mind feels! 

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Thanks for reading this installment of the Veterinary Rounds Blog. I hope that you’re feeling empowered and that you now have actionable steps to take to help reduce feelings of burnout that are bleeding into your personal life, affecting your physical and mental health. 

Comment below and let me know what steps you have taken that have been the most helpful in dealing with burnout! What bad (or good) advice have you received? 

Additionally, if you need a little extra guidance navigating this stage in your career, I would love to connect. I offer coaching services for veterinary professionals, and I am here to help you achieve your goals! Schedule a FREE 30 minute consultation call with me, today!