Tips for Preventing Burnout in the Health Business: Dietitian Edition
I know why you became a Registered Dietitian. You became an RD because of a STRONG passion for nutrition that extended way beyond a love for cooking or sharing health tips. You see how food has power and when managed the right way, it can make a real IMPACT on someone’s life and public health as a whole. I know all this, because that’s exactly why I became a Registered Dietitian.
Though working in healthcare is incredibly rewarding, any time you put your heart and soul into something this important . . . burnout always looms around the corner. We tend to overwork ourselves, because our passion drives us to want to help everyone all the time. There is no business more consequential than health and wellness, so the stakes are high, the pressure is intense, and the opportunities to get burned out are abundant!
Feeling overworked and burned out is a scary first step to losing sight of yourself, your business, and even your passion for nutrition. So, in this post, I’m going to talk about how burnout develops in the nutrition industry and discuss ways to prevent it! You deserve to not only make an impact, but feel at peace and fulfilled while doing so.
Here’s how you can pull that off:
Tips for Preventing Burnout in the Health Business: Dietitian Edition
Anyone in any industry can experience burnout. If you’re not sure if that’s really what you’re experiencing, here are some of the symptoms of burnout to look out for:
Feeling overwhelmed
Emotional exhaustion and feeling depleted of emotional resources
Detachment from work and personal life
Cynical attitude about work and the industry
Decreased satisfaction and fulfillment at work
Decreased productivity
Chronic procrastination
Withdrawing from responsibilities
Loss of motivation
Irritability
Forgetfulness
Indecisiveness
Chronic fatigue and physical exhaustion
Headaches
Muscle tension
Sleep disturbances
Frequent colds and infections
If you experience any of these, they may be signs of burnout! Whether you’re already in the thick of it or creeping in that direction, it’s a good idea to make a plan to get out. No one deserves to be unhappy in their career!
Is Being a Dietitian Stressful?
Being a Registered Dietitian can definitely be stressful, especially if you’re working in a traditional 9-5. Often, RDs in clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities, corporate systems, and other standard employment structures are underpaid, underappreciated, and overworked . . . the perfect recipe for burnout. This is one of the many reasons it can be beneficial for an RD to open their own private practice!
But, are you immune to the effect of burnout if you have your own private online nutrition business? No way! The mental and physical effects of burnout can still find their way to you as an entrepreneur. Although you have lots of flexibility and control as a private practice dietitian, there can be even more pressure to perform well, as your livelihood depends on how well you gain and retain clients. It’s one of the biggest challenges Registered Dietitians face when going private and online!
Beyond that, navigating complex cases, ensuring your clients are progressing, managing administrative tasks, handling marketing and client acquisition, dealing with inconsistent income, balancing multiple roles, and more can take its toll without the proper work-life balance. This can make you lose sight of your love for nutrition and even convince you that this isn’t the path for you, when really your mental health is just suffering. Here’s what you can do to prevent burnout and maintain a positive outlook:
How to Prevent Burnout as a Private Practice Dietitian?
Define your work hours and stick to it.
One of the easiest things to do when you’re an online entrepreneur is overwork. When you’re trying to grind it out and level-up your business and you have no physical boundary between work and home, it’s so easy to just keep on working. However, to avoid burnout, it’s important to set a schedule and stick to it.
Even set boundaries of where you work and where you don’t! For example, you work in your office, but not on your couch, to mentally help you separate the two parts of your life. Also, don’t forget to schedule short breaks throughout the day so you don’t feel swamped and exhausted at the end of each work day!
Limit your client load and reconsider pricing if necessary.
More clients means more money, so it’s easy to take on more and more dreamy clients in an attempt to elevate your business and reach revenue goals. Plus, it’s hard to say no to clients who really need you! However, taking on too many clients can definitely lead to burnout. If you’re struggling to keep a manageable client load and maintain the finances, you may need to reconsider your pricing or look into opportunities to make passive income.
Remember to always prioritize your own health and nutrition.
Ever been to a hairdresser with unkempt and messy hair? It doesn’t give you a lot of confidence in their abilities, right? The same goes for you as an RD! If your own health and nutrition isn’t in order, not only will your client potentially doubt your skills, but feelings of personal insecurity will rise to the surface as well!
Make sure you’re always taking care of yourself first. It’s the best way to be the best RD you can be! If you find your exercise, eating, and sleep habits deteriorating, correct that quickly. Your physical health and wellbeing is just as important as your clients’!
Prioritize getting out of the house.
There are lots of benefits to an online business! One of those benefits is that you can work from home (or from anywhere!). However, long-term, staying in your house day after day can be isolating and have a big impact on your mental health and physical health.
So, prioritize getting out of the house to either work somewhere new (like a co-working space) or to do something personal! This could be visits to the gym, meeting up with friends, networking with colleagues, or anything else that brings you joy and establishes human connection.
Practice mindfulness and gratitude to relieve stress.
Another health practice to reduce stress and maintain a positive attitude is by practicing mindfulness and gratitude. You can do this in a lot of ways try meditation, yoga, nature walks, journaling, and even daily affirmations. Here are a few affirmation lists to get you started:
Delegate what you can to employees, contractors, and software.
There is a LOT to do as a business owner. You’re not just meeting with clients in sessions, but you’re also doing things like balancing books, scheduling appointments, managing a website, and running a marketing strategy just to name a few extra duties you have as a private RD! However, you don’t have to do all of these things yourself.
There is plenty you can delegate to others. It’ll be well worth the investment both financially and mentally! If you have a hard time letting go, here’s how you can build a dream team and start delegating!
Consider a change in scenery.
As I mentioned, one of the benefits of having an online private practice is having the ability to live wherever you want. You don’t have to stay put, so consider a change of scenery. Move somewhere new to bring some excitement and joy to your life. You could even get adventurous and move somewhere overseas!
Schedule vacations and breaks for yourself.
Even as a business owner, you deserve breaks and vacation. Ensure that you always have something planned to look forward to. A long weekend or a vacation can go a long way to help you feel refreshed and recharged. Then, you can return to your practice burnout-free with a clear mind and positive attitude.
Surround yourself with supportive colleagues and friends.
The support of your family, friends, and colleagues is extremely important. Surround yourself with people who can help you identify the signs of burnout and encourage you to take care of yourself. Never letting yourself feel isolated is a great strategy of preventing burnout!
Seek the support of a dietitian business coach.
Another great resource is a Dietitian Business Coach. This is someone qualified to specifically help you grow a private nutrition business. As a Dietitian Business Coach, I can not only support you in terms of business decisions and strategy, but I can also support you personally. I can help identify if you’re experiencing burnout and help you get out of it, rediscovering your passion for your career.
Of course, there are a lot more benefits to hiring a Dietitian Business Coach beyond emotional support, but that’s a BIG piece of it! To see if hiring a Dietitian Business Coach is right for you, take this quiz!
Reflect regularly on your work-life balance and adjust when necessary.
Take time regularly to reflect on your work-life balance and overall health. You could even keep a journal to log things like energy levels, mood, stress levels, achievements, challenges, etc. If you identify an imbalance, adjust to prevent burnout and keep moving forward.
Prevent burnout as a private practice dietitian using these tips!
Whenever you work closely with someone’s health, there’s a lot of pressure. You want to help everyone reach their goals as quickly as possible. At the same time, you want to grow your business as effectively as you can. Those are both BIG undertakings that can have you overworked and burned out in no time.
Stay on top of your mental and physical health using these tips and if you need extra support, apply to work with meas your Dietitian Business Coach. Together, we can help you find fulfillment as your practice grows into the business of your dreams!