How long does burnout last? Dealing with and avoiding burnout – part II

The disciplined practice and recognizing the symptoms of chiropractic burnout, and answering the question how long does burnout last?

Think of yourself, for a minute, as an electromagnet. You only get to be a magnet when you’re charged, and if not charged there is no burning desire (BD) or enthusiasm. The result: Burnout begins to return. Don’t let anybody interrupt your BD and the enthusiasm you have going and you won’t need to figure out how long does burnout last.

This is the second in a two-part series, with part I featured in issue #2.

B.J. Palmer had an expression he referred to as “slipping and checking.” You slip, you check, you get back to the task at hand and drive on. We can all slip; you know, talk about the weather to a patient. Instead of the patient’s problems, you’re talking about the atmosphere’s problem … stop it! How about, “John, we did a little different adjustment last visit, did that seem to help?” The patient in front of you comes first, not the weather or their golf game.

When it comes down to it, your order of priority in the work environment is you first. You must be the battery, the magnet, have the BD and enthusiasm, before it all starts. Second is the staff. Their batteries, like yours, must be charged, trained and ready to go. Staff meetings are for this purpose. Third is the patient. Do you get it? It must be that way for it all to work. Think about it — all is right if you’re right.

Charge, expel, recharge

The answer is that you have to be at it 100% of the time. You charge, you expel. We constantly must charge because we expel. We don’t keep our charge, just like a battery to the electro-magnet (you). This cycle is constant, minute by minute. It all boils down to keeping charged up. We don’t work well on less than a full charge.

Does it mean one has to put on an act? Perhaps at times. We all have days that are less than robust. I never want to call those days bad days, as a bad day is when your mother dies, or worse, a child or best friend. It is not a bad day if you’re just not up to it that day, OK?

No one just keeps charged with absence of burnout of some magnitude. If the lack of charge (BD + enthusiasm) stays long enough, more symptoms will develop. Look at the burnout Oswesty scale again and you are likely going further down the scale. You might say to yourself, “Oh, I know someone that’s always supercharged and never a burnout symptom” — no you don’t, you just don’t know them well enough. They might have had it worse than you think, maybe the worst ever.

Read and read some more

I’ve read tons of books on this over the years, not directly on this subject, but subjects surrounding this state of mind. You want to be reading these, constantly. The best way is every day, start with one that perhaps you already started but put away, or never read at all but bought it.

If you don’t have any books to start with, choose “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” It’s truly an oldie but a must-read, and perhaps a must re-read. Dale Carnegie is spot-on. Remember, you want to be the magnet, and these books will help get and help keep you charged. Always remember, people like people who like people. No one book is a home run, but many are base hits, and you need to touch bases before you score any home runs.

My daughter, Lisa, used to steal my PMA (positive mental attitude) books. “Think and Grow Rich,” “The Power of Positive Thinking,” “The Leader in You,” etc. She is now a life coach, helping CEOs and business owners get their heads right. Most of those CEOs are not in burnout, many are well past that. They just want to keep it that way, make it better, plug the holes in their lives, march on and kick the alligators out of the way to get through the swamp.

The more successful you are, the more problems you brew. If you’re really successful you really have a lot of problems (alligators). As Reverend Robert Schuler would say, “If you don’t have any problems, you need to get on your knees and pray for some.” Or to put it another way, if you think you don’t have any problems, you really have a problem.

Never say or think the words, “When things settle down, I’ll blah blah blah.” Things will never settle down; they’re not supposed to. You’re not dead yet. Think about it: You are most happy when things are running at full charge, you’re spot-on, staff is spot-on, and patients can’t wait to see you (and see you charged). It’s contagious, and on goes the positive feedback cycle.

How long does burnout last? There is no one-ingredient cure

The ingredients for a cure for burnout are many. I’m sure you understand the aforementioned thoughts, but that’s not all. There’s much more. If you are the boss, are you “The Boss?” Are you accessible to all your employees? You should be. You are the giant problem solver in your office.

Listen, ask questions, ask for their thoughts and ideas. Agree before you disagree — see it their way first. Be like a best friend to them, at least in the office. Treat them as an equal, as they are naturally looking up to you. Be there for them, as they are extremely important to you in the burnout symptomology, remember?

If you think it’s time to hire a coach, you really need to hire a coach. I had a coach way back in the early ‘80s. I sensed I needed to get out of a rut with it all. Was that burnout? Maybe a little, but I called it a rut back then for whatever reason. I was just six years in practice.

I had already started a satellite office and wanted to build a new, larger clinic. My coach helped me every step of the way as the banks were turning me down for a loan. The banks said it had never been done before and rejected me. I found out I qualified for an SBA loan and they couldn’t turn me down, and I got my clinic in 1984. I purchased another practice in 1992 and was running three practices. I was still working four days a week with patients, and at least 1-2 days per week at the clinic taking care of problems. I started the D.A.C.S. program, (diplomat program in chiropractic science) put on by Life Chiropractic College. Believe me, I had a large amount on my plate and loved it.

Keep up with professional development

To keep the charge, seek to reduce any burnout, read a PMA book, seek a personal mentor or coach, and equally important, better yourself technically.

Go to seminars on a steady basis, which is a must. You won’t have to ask how long does burnout last if you have a burning desire to be the master of your trade — not just the canoe in the river of life, not rowing, and losing ground to the current. You need to get upstream to get recharged, and to get upstream you need to constantly paddle — no coasting or you’ll go backward.

I know that’s a bunch of metaphors, but you have to get it and get it ingrained. When asking how long does burnout last — that’s what stops burnout cold. The desire, helped with the PMA books, audio books and technique improvement seminars, always having a seminar booked ahead. Listen to them in your car, never music — never. Listen to PMA audio and chiropractic leadership content. I think they are the best. I bought them and gave them to my doctors. This is not an ad for them but an idea. You’ll keep charged and excited listening to these chiropractic powerhouses.

Conquering burnout

There are many ways out of burnout, and you need to do many ways, not just one. Jump in and “just do it.” Think of yourself as if you are going to be a Navy SEAL of chiropractors. You’re going to know more, study more, work at it more than anyone else, period. You cannot slow down, you won’t run out of problems and you keep kicking the alligators aside; you’re coming through.

There are tons of people who want you to succeed and want to help you. Accept their help, buck up and ask them. It will not just happen; you have to make it happen. If you have done the above and still have some symptoms, ask yourself if you’ve kept up with all of the above, really. There are no failures here, folks, just those who don’t admit it, those who are in denial. If you’re doing all of the above, you haven’t got time for burnout. Make a list; set the goals you have put off. Set the priority right, make you right first, then all else will follow.

I don’t mean to exclude your family, but this isn’t about family. A burned-out chiropractor is likely not a happy person, right? All this bleeds over to your personal life, good or not so good. Seriously, you do what it takes as I’ve spelled out and you will be a better person, chiropractor, husband or wife, mother or father.

Understand that burnout is multi-faceted, not a single one thing that is causing the symptoms and you’ll be on your way. Does any of this just come naturally, or natural to some? No, never. Everyone has to work at it, some more than others. How long does burnout last? Some are in deeper swamps and must kick harder to get out. Think about where you’re at and make some changes. We are a people of constant change, so go with it. Happiness comes with the sense of accomplishment. Now you know the ingredients to get you there.

Did I tell you anything you didn’t already know? Maybe not, you just needed to perhaps hear it again and re-charge.

RONALD WARNINGER, DC, DACS, graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1973 and received the Diplomate of Chiropractic Science from Life Chiropractic College in 1994. He was in active practice for 42 years and has been a member of the Washington State Chiropractic Association (WSCA) since it formed. He served on the Washington Chiropractic Trust for six years as their secretary and was an active member in the Central Washington Chiropractors Association and served as their president for six years. He is retired at the present time and enjoys traveling to Europe with his wife and across the U.S. in a motorhome, visiting 47 U.S. national parks.