Five Tips for Battling Burnout in Veterinary Practice

Reviving Vet Med - Five Tips for Battling Burnout in Veterinary Practice

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Do you feel emotionally drained by your clients? Are you frustrated by your work or feel that you are working too hard? Does working with people all day require massive effort? Have you stopped caring what happens to some of your patients? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you are probably experiencing burnout.

What is burnout and who does it affect?

Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines burnout as “exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration”. Synonyms include “collapse, fatigue, frazzle, prostration, tiredness, or weariness”. No matter how you define it, burnout can affect all members of the veterinary team.

What causes burnout?

Typically, burnout results from a combination of chronic exposure to stressors, as well as inadequate coping skills. Examples of work-related causes of burnout include feeling like you have little to no control over your work (e.g., working emergency shifts and never knowing what cases might walk through the door), lack of recognition or rewards for good work, unclear or overly demanding job expectations, doing work that is monotonous or not challenging (e.g., technician/nurse only doing reception duties), and working in a chaotic or high-pressure environment (e.g, high-volume practice). Lifestyle causes of burnout include working long hours, feeling over-extended or overwhelmed, not getting enough sleep, and not having an adequate social support system. There are also personality traits that contribute to burnout including perfectionism, pessimism, the need to be in control, and being a high achiever (sound familiar?!).

What can you do to prevent or reduce burnout in veterinary practice?

Here are five tips to get you started:

  1. Set Boundaries: It is important to recognize your limits and adhere to them. We all have physical and emotional boundaries for what we can or cannot tolerate. This includes how many hours you can work each day, how many days you can work each week, and how many months you can work before taking a vacation. Likewise, we all need moments during the day to breathe, eat, stay hydrated, use the bathroom, and connect with others. Ensure that you create a work schedule that allows you to abide by your limits and that your shifts are booked to give you moments for pause.
  2. Say No: As difficult as it is (especially for those of us who are people-pleasers), we must say no to some things in our lives, whether work-related or personal. If we say yes to all the requests that come our way (e.g., working extra shifts, taking all the on-call, coaching our child’s sports team), soon we find ourselves over-scheduled and overwhelmed. Recognize that saying no to others means saying yes to you and what is most important in your life. So, take time to think through requests before accepting them and if saying yes will result in months of added work or stress when you already feel over-extended, then politely pass.
  3. Practice Self-Care: As people who spend time caring for others, it is of the utmost importance that we also take time to look after ourselves. The in-flight request to don your own oxygen mask before assisting others applies to those who work in veterinary practice too. If you do not make self-care a priority, you will be more susceptible to burnout and you will no longer be able to care for others either. So, allocate time that is just for you and allows you to engage in non-veterinary-related activities that leave you feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, inspired, and joyful.
  4. Separate Work and Personal Life: A problem for many of us is allowing work duties to creep into our personal time. While this can be unavoidable when we are on-call, it is important to ensure that we have some time during our busy lives when we are not working (or thinking about work). Ensure that work responsibilities are done or passed on to a colleague and then let put work-related worries or concerns aside. Debrief with a colleague or friend if something is really bothering you or write it down to tackle when you return to work. Otherwise, work emails, phone calls, and record-keeping should be tabled until you are back at work.
  5. Sleep: Insomnia or sleep deprivation are big contributors to burnout and most adults do not get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Set an alarm for bedtime that reminds you to turn off electronics, dim the lights, engage in activities that are relaxing and not activating, and literally power down for bed. Stop caffeine intake 6-hours prior to bedtime and do not consume alcohol within 3-hours of bedtime to improve your quality and quantity of sleep. Spending 15-20 minutes outdoors, engaging in 30-minutes of physical activity, and performing stress reduction techniques such as meditation or journaling can also help to reduce anxiety or worry at

Sometimes burnout is serious enough that professional guidance and support are required. Know that there is no shame in reaching out for help – you will thank yourself later if it means staying in this profession long-term.