Planning A Career In Psychology? 4 Tips For Avoiding Burnout

You decided to pursue a career in psychology because you wanted to help people. While that's an admirable quality, it's important to remember that helping people on a daily basis is bound to create some stress in your own life. That stress could interfere with your own physical and emotional well-being. Before you begin your professional career, you should develop a plan for caring for your own emotional needs. Here are four simple methods to alleviate work-related stress.

Find an Activity That Brings You Joy

You're going to spend a good part of everyday helping other people deal with their problems. That's not going to give you much time to do things for yourself. It's important that you find an activity that you enjoy doing. Whether it's joining a book club or finding a new hobby, an activity that brings you joy will allow you unwind and de-stress.

Pick a Time Each Day to Remove Yourself from Client Issues

Your workdays are going to be filled with client-related issues. However, that doesn't mean you have to spend every second of the day immersed in those issues. Schedule a few minutes each day where you can remove yourself from all issues related to your clients. Take a walk outside. Go for a quick drive. Or, just close your office door and turn out the lights for a few minutes. This will allow you the opportunity to regroup before you get back to your client's needs.

Read Something That Isn't Related to Psychology

Practicing psychology means that you're going to need to keep up-to-date on all the changes occurring within the psychological community. Most of your reading will revolve around patient records and current psychological journals. Take a step away and read something that isn't related to psychology. Even if you only have time to read one small book, it's okay. That book will provide you and escape from the needs of your clients for a few minutes.

Say No to Additional Clients When You Have a Full Case-Load

In your desire to help others, you may be tempted to take on additional clients, even if your caseload is full. It's important that you resist that temptation. Taking on more clients than you can handle will not help you or your clients. You'll end up being spread so thin that you won't have time to give anyone the attention they need and deserve, including yourself.

You're going to be a psychologist. You'll be helping a lot of people through your chosen career field. Remember that one of the people you should be helping is yourself. The tips provided here will help you destress and avoid burn-out. To learn more, contact a company like The Genen Group


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