Burnout - Tips on Dealing With It

How do you guys deal with it? I'm about a year out of finishing my undergraduate degree, but I've got a full year of prereqs to deal with afterwards. School work and work-work have got me just exhausted. And I've only just recently earned a human services job, I don't have any HCE yet. The work is never ending and I need to come up with some better ways to deal with burnout. Tips? Strategies?

I know I can't be the only one! Help a brethren out

Exercise, eat healthy, look into meditation and other stress-relieving techniques, be sure to schedule some free time into your busy week, and get enough quality sleep.

Just keep reminding yourself why you are doing this and keep making small lists to keep yourself on track. And it's okay if you burnout and need to take a break. I've been going at this goal for over four years. I started with the prerequisites while working a full time super stressful management position. Then, I left my well paid job to get healthcare experience and take a massive pay cut, then the clinic I was working for got into financial trouble and I was laid off and was forced to take a year off from it all and enter survival mode (finding a job, any job in a real crappy job market). I guess the point of my rambling pity party is to keep going forward . . . it's going to get tough, and it may seem like things are stacked against you, but you'll make it through if it's meant to be.

Also, go have some fun and let loose once in awhile. I've learned that to be one of the most important things . . . and it'll make the process all the more enjoyable. I hope this helps, and good luck!!!

I think it's important to be realistic. If you're working several jobs, going to school full-time, and doing all the chores that come with being an adult...well, of course you're going to get tired. Do what works for you: take a fun class, quit one of the jobs, start a meal group so you can trade off cooking duties.

Two things that helped me were to-do lists and calendars that I kept everything on. At the beginning of the semester, I already knew when assignments were due and when my test/finals dates were. I was prepared, which lessened stress and I could cross off the days, which was a visual that I was getting closer to being done.

it became clear to me that if i always waited to be happy until i got over the next hill, i would miss out on that time i could be enjoying myself.

I can't agree with this statement enough. Lately, I've been incredibly stressed about school, finding work, taking care of my family etc...If I don't get a grade I'm happy with on a test I start thinking about how I could be compromising my family's future and well-being by hurting my chances of getting into pa school. It's easy to get so caught up in the journey that it is no longer enjoyable so to the OP; I understand where you're coming from. Lately, I've started getting back to the things I used to do that made me happy like playing the guitar, going for a run, hitting the weights and even catching up on The Walking Dead lol. Find some time for yourself and take everything one step at time.

Exercise, eat healthy, look into meditation and other stress-relieving techniques, be sure to schedule some free time into your busy week, and get enough quality sleep.

This is what I did when I felt the burnout as a pre-PA.

I also pinned my rejection letter from last year on the wall in front of my desk to serve as motivation.

So let me say I was exactly where you were 1 year ago with the Pre-reqs. I got my degree in communications... I litterally only had geology and biology for sciences and that was in order to fullfill my general education. Besides the stress management with diet, exercise, meditation, diffusing and etc... here's something you can add to this.

I approached everything like I had been taught in my MBA like I was managing a project or creating a strategic plan and it has helped me a lot in keeping my sanity.

By breaking everything down into tactical goals, objectives, tasks, critical paths, and creating milestones towards my mission (getting into PA school) it really has made the process more bearable and allowed me to make it seem more achievable.

Here's a breakdown of my process / pathway:

Mission:

- To get into PA school

Environmental Scanning:

- Evaluate the different schools pre-req's and competitive info.

- Find schools that offer courses accepted by programs

Strategy Formulation / Objectives:

- Finish blanket pre-reqs with the exception of 1 to 2 classes (Critical Path)

- Gain multiple certifications (tough job market) and collect 2,000 hours of HCE (Critical Path)

- Network with friends and hospitals to setup volunteer experience & PA Shadowing

- Raise GPA (2.41 Undergrad / 3.7 MBA)

Strategy Implementation:

- Find accelerated schools to take pre-reqs during weekends, at night or online if possible (need 4.0 GPA)

- Get a professional certification and get a job with direct patient contact

- Collect as much volunteer and shadowing as possible (will also help later in finding a job)

Evaluation & Control:

- Meet with various PA schools for one to one counseling

- Apply to PA schools that do not require paid HCE once basic pre-reqs are achieved

- Collect feedback if not accepted. If interviewed do my best to get in or learn from experience.

Now that I had this process as simple as it seemed I then created a calendar to help measure where I am and where I need to be and I did this in excel.

Strategy Implementation (Total Time 8 Months):

1. PA Shadowing / Volunteer at Hospital - February to July (M-F)
   
2. A&P 1 - March to April (Sat & Sun) - A achieved
   
3. A&P 2 - April to May (Sat & Sun) - A achieved
   
4. O Chem - May to June (Sat & Sun) - A achieved
   
5. Biochem - June to July (Sat & Sun) - A achieved
   
6. Micro - July to August (Sat & Sun) - A achieved
   
7. Psych 101 - July to August (Online) - A achieved
   
8. Gen Chem 1 - August to September (Sat & Sun) - A achieved
   
9. Lifespan Development - August to September (Online) - A achieved
   
10. Phlebotomy - July to Mid-October (M-F) - MILESTONE COMPLETED
    
11. Submit CASPA and collect feedback if not accepted (Apart of Evaluation & Control) - MILESTONE COMPLETED
    
12. Gen Chem 2 - September to October (Sat & Sun) - A achieved
    
13. Genetics -No Lab - September to October (Online) - A achieved
    (Initial Critical Path Completed) - MILESTONE COMPLETED
    
14. November - Break / Study for ASCP exam for Phlebotomy
    
15. PA Shadowing / Volunteering – November to February (W & F)
    
16. Take ASCP Exam (December) – Passed
    
17. 12 Lead EKG License (NCCT - Passed) - January to February (Sat & Sun) - MILESTONE COMPLETED
    
18. Update schools of progress since CASPA application / request feedback – February
    (2^nd Critical Path Completed)
    

EVALUATION AND CONTROL

1. Received feedback from schools
   1. 
      
   2. CASPA GPA is at 2.95 needs to be 3.0
      
   3. HCE needs to be at least 1,000 to 2,000
      (140 hours of phlebotomy + 250 hours as CPR Instructor)
      
   4. Volunteer experience good
      (500 hours of shadowing / 1,500 total volunteer hours including undergrad & high school)
      

[*]New Tactical Goals created

1. Take 16 units with 4.0 to increase above 3.0)
   
2. Continue looking for job to get paid HCE
   

Environmental Scanning

1. Find additional courses that will increase GPA & increase range of schools applied to
   

Strategy Implementation (Total Time 6 Months):

1. EMT Basic Course - February to March (M-F) - NREMT - Passed
   
2. ACLS / PALS / NRP – March (1 Day each class)
   
3. March to April - Focus on finding a job
   
4. May - Begin working as ER Tech – 3 to 4 Days per week / 12 hour shifts - MILESTONE COMPLETED
   
5. Physics 101 w/ Lab & Capstone 5 units - May to June (Sat & Sun)
   
6. PA School Interview in May (Cross my fingers to get in) - MISSION COMPLETED? HOPEFULLY - TBD
   
7. Medical Terminology 3 units - June to July (Online)
   
8. Retake Biology 101 w/ Lab & capstone 5 Units– June to July (Sat & Sun)
   
9. Nutrition 3 units - June to July (Online)
   
10. Submit CASPA July 30^th
    (3^rd Critical Path Completed) - MILESTONE COMPLETED
    
11. Continue building HCE and wait to see what happens with this round of applications
    

EVALUATION AND CONTROL – To be completed in September

Two things that helped me were to-do lists and calendars that I kept everything on. At the beginning of the semester, I already knew when assignments were due and when my test/finals dates were. I was prepared, which lessened stress and I could cross off the days, which was a visual that I was getting closer to being done.

Exactly this. I could not function without my Google calendar. Almost everything that I do in a day is on that thing. I make different calendars for different things but I make it so I can view them all at the same time. One is for bills, one is for exercising, one is for sports games I want to watch, one is for assignment/to-do, and one is for work, school, and everything else I have to actually go to in a day.

Something else you might want to consider is what all you have going on in your personal life. I noticed that I feel a lot more fulfilled now when I'm not going out once a week and make time to spend one on one with friends every couple of days instead. Of course, that could just be a product of my getting older. :P

Organize your time, make sure to include fun things on a weekly basis, and stay on top of your work. Keep a positive attitude. You will eventually get through all of it. I have the most overwhelming thrill going through me now despite added stress because CASPA is finally open and I get to finally start showing schools all the stuff I've done over the past 10 years or so to get me to this point. You'll get there! It's totally worth it in the end. :D

Thank you to all of you who have shared personal stories and strategies for succeeding. I'll be "borrowing" tactics from each and every one of you :] Thanks guys!

So my recommendation of wild weekends in Vegas and dabbling in mind altering substances a la Hunter S Thompson isn't helpful?

Well..at least make sure you schedule YOURSELF some time. I was in a very similar boat... now I am staring down the last few weeks of the didactic year of PA school and I'm so grateful I didn't flame out too early. I was only able to keep it together by taking time to decompress.

If you don't take care of yourself, you won't succeed. Don't forget it.

You know, to me, gaining my health care experience as an MA/scribe was a great break from pre-req classes. I did my pre-reqs, then worked full time afterward while I applied. That gave me a year or two of just working... a pleasant break from studying, frankly. I'm glad I didn't take my pre-reqs right before PA school or I'd be in burn out mode now for sure. So, maybe gaining your HCE will help! But, yeah, a lot of work looming ahead can seem daunting. Take it one step at a time. Conquer A&P1, then A&P2, etc. You will need those skills for PA school. If I look at all I have yet to do, it's quite daunting, but just making it through the musculoskeletal system or endocrine system is doable. :)

Take a short vacation.

Take extra time if you need to in order to make it manageable--one more year is nothing in the scheme of things. I like the post about marking all the milestones you've reached. That poster, like me, had a bachelors and masters degree and had to start from the beginning to get the health care experience & pre-reqs etc. It looked so awesome to make a giant list of "A's" with the pre-reqs and other accomplishments! That list boosted me when I felt low.... I did get burned out and depressed along the way. It took me several years to make myself a good applicant, and toward the end I felt like I might not make it. I wondered if I would actually get into school. One thing that helped me was shadowing. I would literally feel high--almost manic-- after shadowing a PA (also shadowed a family doc friend). It would remind me: THIS IS WHY YOU ARE WORKING SO HARD!!! It would give me the boost to get back to it!

--Ironically, I look back to this time some nostalgia now. By being very careful with money (I also had no kids etc), I was able to work part-time and go to school part-time. As I had no car, I spent a lot of my life biking to school or work (lovely! got in the best shape of my life). I spent a lot of time with friends, too. So sometimes I miss my pre PA school life.

I am sssssssssssssssssssoooooooo glad I saw this because I am feeling the same! Thanks for the tips and suggestions everyone.

Hah, yeah. I still suffer from burnout fairly regularly, but I'm more used to it today. I've applied some of the tips/advice offered in this thread, and others. They help cope

I got burnt out finishing my last pre-recs. It's done now and I have basically been slug....work, come home, hang out with family...rinse and repeat. After two years of school while managing my job and family, I started to question whether this was worth it; that lasted a minute. Always remember the end state....why we started this. Think about the accomplishment once you get where you want to go. Everything has a cost. To me, it was worth it.

As my start date gets closer, I am already hitting the books again for review. May starts the crunch time......bring it.