How to Avoid Professional Burn Out and Personal Dull Out Disease

It is a fact---the highest rate of suicidal level depression takes place in people who take care of others (health care workers). It is also a fact that half of those who get veterinary degrees wind up doing something completely different within eight years. One reason for this professional burn out of the mind, and personal dull out of the soul that occurs not because of the personal stress of these professions, but because of the lack of stimulation and growth of other aspects of the human spirit. This article can help you, or people who take care of you or your animals, avoid such diseased states themselves.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Yourself
• Open mind
• Adventurous spirit

1. Look at your life as a health care provider. Calculate how much time you devote to taking care of other people or animals to keep them alive. Then make a list of activities you do that make you feel alive. The world does not have to understand or approve of these activities. If you do not have things you enjoy doing outside of work, look in your past and see if you can find something you did enjoy in the past. The arts are most likely your haven, your other kingdom between the ears.

2. Devote a specific hour of the day when you do your spirit regenerating activity. Also, set aside one day a week where the primary priority is to serve spirit and vitality rather than material or biological needs of others. Though don't shut down your ability to help if others need it in emergency situations if there is no one else to help. Be sure that watching and doing something artistic is part of your life.

3. Look at your life as thirds. One third of doing things for the world on the world's terms, one third on doing things for the world on terms you propose to the world, and one third which the world may not understand or even approve of. World here also refers to people around you. Remember that if you are constantly taking care of them, they will never learn how to take care of themselves. Also remember---it is better to do your own dharma (spiritually-assigned calling) poorly than someone else's well.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember that this is not a way to get me time, but a way to keep your own instrument strong so you can be service to others.
• Only you and perhaps a few very close friends know your true calling.
• If you are not true to your own calling and spirit, you cannot ultimately be true or effective to other people or animals.

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[puppyqueen]

on 2/16/2008 Thanks for the great article on saving yourself from that black hole..I am going to take a minute to go to the horse barn and just pet horses for an hour! I'll bet the dogs will still be here when i get back and none of them will die before i do! Dog poo is not my friend just now and I am not going to feel guilty about it..Thanks again Puppyqueen..Texas