From Burnout to Balance: Natural Remedies and Lifestyle Adjustments to Sustain Your Energy as a Practitioner

by Jayney Goddard MSc, FCMA, PG Dip Ed, FRSM, President, The Complementary Medical Association

As healthcare practitioners, we’re all familiar with the demands of managing a busy practice. The delicate balance of caring for your clients, handling administrative tasks, marketing and promoting your work, and staying up to date with the latest developments in your field can often lead to feelings of overwhelm and burnout. It is particularly difficult for practitioners who work alone, which – let’s face it – is the majority of us!

In the pursuit of helping others, it’s easy to overlook your own well-being. Yet, without taking care of yourself, your ability to care for others can be compromised. In this article, we’ll explore natural remedies and lifestyle adjustments that can help you bolster your energy and maintain balance in your life, so that you can continue to sustainably provide excellent care to your clients.

Understanding Burnout in Practitioners

Burnout is more than just feeling tired; it’s a state of chronic physical and emotional exhaustion, often accompanied by feelings of cynicism and detachment from your work. For practitioners, this can lead to reduced effectiveness, compassion fatigue (watch this brilliant video from the National Health Association on compassion fatigue, in which The CMA’s Science and Research Director, Dr Frank Sabatino, interviews Juliette Watt – compassion fatigue specialist) and even the desire to leave the profession altogether. The good news is that burnout is preventable and manageable with the right strategies.

Adaptogenic Herbs: Nature’s Support System

Of course, I know that our esteemed CMA Members are health experts and I provide the following information with the greatest of respect – and I’m certainly not trying to teach anyone’s ‘granny to suck eggs’.  However, I have found that the following approaches have been very helpful – personally, in practice – and I hope that at least some of these suggestions will have relevance and value to you.

One of the most effective ways to combat burnout and sustain your energy is through the use of adaptogenic herbs. Adaptogens are a unique class of herbs that help the body adapt to stress, support immune function, and promote overall well-being. Here are a few that are particularly beneficial for busy practitioners:

• Ashwagandha: Known for its ability to ameliorate the effects of stress and anxiety, Ashwagandha is a powerful herb that can help you manage the mental and physical demands of your practice. It supports adrenal health, which is crucial for maintaining energy levels throughout the day.
• Rhodiola Rosea: This herb is renowned for its ability to enhance mental clarity and reduce fatigue. Rhodiola can be particularly helpful during those long days when you’re juggling multiple clients and tasks.
• Holy Basil: Also known as Tulsi, this herb has been used for centuries to promote calmness and clarity. It’s a great choice if you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of your practice.

Incorporating these herbs into your daily routine can be as simple as drinking a cup of herbal tea, taking a supplement, or using tinctures. If you are not a qualified herbalist, please check in with a herbalist or relevant healthcare professional to ensure the correct usage and dosage – and that there are no contraindications to use.

Mindfulness Techniques: Cultivating Inner Peace

Mindfulness is another powerful tool that can help you maintain balance and prevent burnout. By staying present and fully engaging with each moment, mindfulness allows you to reduce stress, enhance your focus, and improve your overall well-being. Here are a few mindfulness techniques that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine:

• Breath Awareness: Taking a few minutes each day to focus on your breath can significantly reduce stress levels. This can be done anywhere—between client appointments, during a break, or even in the car. Simply breathe deeply and mindfully, paying attention to the sensation of air entering and leaving your body.
• Body Scan Meditation: This technique involves mentally scanning your body from head to toe, noting any areas of tension or discomfort. By bringing awareness to these areas, you can release tension and relax more fully.
• Mindful Walking: Whether it’s a walk around your practice or a stroll in the park, mindful walking involves paying attention to each step, the sensation of your feet on the ground, and the rhythm of your breath. This simple practice can bring a sense of calm and clarity to your day.
• The Relaxation Response: You can download a free instructional recording of how to do the Relaxation Response meditation from my website JayneyGoddard.org.  This was taught to me by its creator, Dr Herbert Benson, at the Benson Henry Institute for Mind/Body Medicine at Harvard Medical School.  It was an immense privilege learning from Dr Benson – and an experience I shall treasure always.

Practising mindfulness regularly can help you stay centred, improve your client interactions, and reduce the likelihood of burnout.

Time Management Tips: Structuring Your Day for Success

Efficient time management is essential for maintaining your energy and avoiding burnout. When your day is well-structured, you’re less likely to feel overwhelmed, and you’ll have more time to focus on self-care. Here are some tips to help you manage your time more effectively:

• Prioritise Tasks: Start each day by identifying your top priorities. Focus on completing these tasks first, rather than getting bogged down by less critical activities. This will help you maintain momentum and prevent procrastination. Check out “Eat That Frog” – by the brilliant Brian Tracy, productivity and motivation guru!
• Schedule Breaks: It’s easy to skip breaks when you’re busy, but doing so can lead to mental and physical exhaustion. Schedule short breaks throughout your day to rest, stretch, and recharge.  Check out the “Pomodoro Technique” – I use this and it really works wonders to boost my productivity and focus.  
• Delegate When Possible: You don’t have to do everything yourself. Delegate tasks that can be handled by others, such as administrative work or simple client follow-ups. This will free up your time and energy for more important responsibilities.
• Set Boundaries: Establish clear boundaries between work and personal life. This might mean setting specific working hours and ‘phone in times’ and sticking to them or learning to say no to additional commitments when your schedule is already full. I set boundaries with my clients by providing a ‘practice agreement’ that they have to sign to say that they accept my terms of engagement. In this document, I clearly set out exactly when I’m available, in person and by phone/text/whatsapp etc.  
• Personal Observation: I have noticed that there is a tendency among newly qualified practitioners to want to be available to clients – all the time! I believe that this is borne of us wanting to build our practices as fast as possible – but over my last 35+ years in practice and nurturing over tens of thousands of practitioners in my work here at The CMA, I know that setting boundaries enables us to grow faster – and more sustainably.

By managing your time effectively, you can create a more balanced workday that supports your well-being – and actually grows your practice faster and more sustainably.

Make Your Well-being Your Priority

As a practitioner, your well-being is not a luxury—it’s a necessity. By incorporating adaptogenic herbs, mindfulness techniques, and effective time management strategies into your daily routine, you can sustain your energy, prevent burnout, and continue to provide the highest level of care to your clients. Remember, taking care of yourself is the first step in taking care of others.

For more practitioner support, see our article on Embracing Autumn’s Wisdom – for Practitioners. This article explains how to thrive during the changing season and provides lots of effective, easy-to-implement practice growth tips and techniques that really work to help build your dream practice sustainably and healthily!