Tips to Reduce Burnout

Take Microbreaks: 2 minutes of deep breathing, stretching, or quiet can help reset your nervous system.

Practice Saying “No”: Protect your time and energy. Set boundaries without guilt.

Find Meaning: Reconnect with your "why"—journal a patient story or mentor a student.

Lean on Your Team: Share your struggles with trusted coworkers or supervisors.

Unplug Off Shift: Avoid checking work emails or messages during your downtime.

Prioritize Sleep & Nutrition: Small daily choices support long-term resilience.
 

Here are some popular breathing techniques:

1. Box breathing (also called Square Breathing)

This technique involves equal segments of inhale, hold, exhale, and hold. 

• Exhale completely for a count of four.
• Hold your breath with empty lungs for a count of four.
• Inhale deeply for a count of four.
• Hold your breath with full lungs for a count of four.
• Repeat for at least four rounds. 

2. 4-7-8 breathing

This technique aims to soothe the nervous system. 

• Exhale completely, making a "whoosh" sound.
• Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose for a mental count of 4.
• Hold your breath for a count of 7.
• Exhale completely through your mouth, making a "whoosh" sound, for a count of 8.
• Repeat for a total of four breaths. 

3. Diaphragmatic (Belly) Breathing

This technique focuses on breathing from your diaphragm rather than your chest. 

• Lie on your back or sit comfortably with one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.
• Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose, allowing your belly to rise as your diaphragm contracts.
• Exhale slowly through your mouth, feeling your belly fall.
• The goal is for the hand on your belly to move more than the hand on your chest. 

4. Other techniques

• Pursed Lip Breathing: Inhale through your nose and exhale slowly through pursed lips, making the exhale longer than the inhale.
• Alternate Nostril Breathing: Close one nostril, inhale through the other, then switch and exhale through the closed nostril and inhale through the open one, and continue alternating.