Pre-PT Burnout

"Burnout does not discriminate."

Sometimes it feels like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders. No one asked me to be the bearer of their burdens. I don’t recall anyone asking me to carry their cross for them. Maybe it felt like some of these things were indirectly asked of me. Truthfully, it could be my anxiety acting up again, or it could be my drive to be the best version of myself possible. I feel like I owe it to my parents to give them the world. We all know no matter what we do, there is no way to return the favor of everything our parents and grandparents have done for us. For some, it may be an aunt, uncle, older sibling, and the list goes on and on.

To be completely transparent with you, you don’t owe anyone a thing. Your responsibility is to yourself because by bettering yourself, it becomes possible to provide more value to those around you. How many times have you tried to put too much on your plate as a means of validating your worth? I know I have been there a few times in the past. After all, it’s human nature to succumb to greed occasionally. You’re not perfect so be easy on yourself. Speak nicely to yourself and realize that you are still a work in progress. Yes, I know it is easier said than done. I’m aware of this because I know I am my biggest critic. This is a blessing and a curse. Because, there are moments where we are too harsh on ourselves, but there are also moments where we are too lenient and relaxed. Self-criticism is one of the most powerful tools someone can use; it is also one of the most crippling under some circumstances.

Just breathe, the same way the sun must continue to shine, and the wind must continue to blow, you must continue to grow. There are many toxic things in this life, and some are more dangerous than others. Near the top of that list is burnout. This comes from all the struggles I previously mentioned. Self-criticism, laziness, anxiety, and a lack of balance are some of the primary culprits that lead to burnout. I am speaking from a standpoint of experience. The school of hard knocks taught me many lessons; I have my fair share of battle wounds and scars to show for these lessons. Burnout can come at various stages of life.  As a pre-PT, student PT, or DPT, we can all suffer from this problem. It’s difficult because at each stage you feel like you must prove yourself. You are either proving why you deserve to be in a program, why your school made the right choice accepting you, or why you deserve to continue being a clinician.

"We are programmed to believe success is a quick fix, yet this is the furthest thing from the truth."

Burnout does not discriminate. It matters not your age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, or religion. We are all susceptible to burnout. Right now, as a pre-PT, you have feelings of insecurity and anxiety. You question if this path and career is really for you. This is the part of the journey that exposes the real from the fake. Don’t take offense, but please be aware that if you fold now, you will begin building a habit of folding and throwing in the towel. This is not the reality that I envision for you. In fact, I envision you living the life of your dreams that is full of blessings and abundance. If you are still reading this, it is a testament to your will and drive to succeed. I applaud you for that and I challenge you to keep reading. We are programmed to believe success is a quick fix, yet this is the furthest thing from the truth. Things take time. Be patient with yourself and trust the process. I know it sounds cliché, but if you are feeling burnt out; it proves you are not doing these things that I mentioned.

The way to avoid burnout as a pre-PT is to find balance. There were plenty of times where I felt like I was drowning in a sea of homework, observation hours, extracurricular activities, and GRE studying. I was stressed out and had no idea how to get out of my funk. Then, I realized if I found balance everything else would fall in place. Everything turned around after I figured this out. I mad more time to do things I enjoyed such as: going to the gym, reading for fun, watching Netflix, writing, and going to the gym. So, I challenge you to persevere through the pain and struggle. On the other side of the pain, your promise and reward await you. Schedule time to do the things you love. Take a day out of the week or weekend and watch that show you love or go grab that cup of coffee with your friends. Self-care is the key to finding balance. Do these simple things and I promise you will have the key to free yourself of the chains that burnout had you bound by. Free yourself, you deserve it.

-Karl Bourne Jr.

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