16 Tips to Help Athletic Trainers Avoid Burnout

Burnout. The word gets used a lot in and among the Athletic Trainer community. Since we understand the hard work and dedication required for the job (it's one of the reasons Healthy Roster exists - to help ATs!), we wanted to provide some advice to help you deal with stress.

Certainly not all of these tips can be acted on and some may be out of your comfort zone.

But... we wanted to offer as many tips as possible: 

1. Time Management: Prioritize tasks whenever possible. Use calendars or scheduling apps to organize tasks, responsibilities, and breaks. Create a ranking system that helps you prioritize everything (1-2-3, or A-B-C) and annotate every scheduled event. Or create lists with the big priorities at the top. Check them off as you go, then look back at all you've accomplished at the end of your day! 

2. Take Breaks: Whenever possible, take short breaks during the day to rest and recharge. Even a few minutes of relaxation, deep breathing, or a short walk can help. Don't forget to schedule those breaks in your calendar and then actually take them (even if you end up an hour past their due time!) 

3. Self-care: Dedicate time to activities that relax and rejuvenate you. This could include reading, hobbies, exercise, or meditation. Having smaller, personal goals to attain helps create a feeling of accomplishment (finishing a book each month, 30 minutes of exercise a day, etc.) 

4. Delegation: If there are tasks that can be safely delegated to others, do so. It might also be beneficial to train athletes or assistant Athletic Trainers to handle minor issues or responsibilities - and don't be afraid of their missteps or mistakes (it's how they learn!) Even if it takes more time to explain a process than doing it yourself... it can save time in the long run.

5. Regular Vacations: It's crucial to take time off when possible, especially during off-seasons. Regular vacations, even if they are short, can help reset and refresh the mind and body.

6. Seek Support: Talk to colleagues, coworkers, or supervisors about the challenges you face. They may offer insights or help in balancing the workload — if you suffer in silence, no one may know or understand what you're going through.

7. Professional Development: Attending workshops or training programs related to stress management, work-life balance, or other relevant topics can offer tools and techniques to manage burnout. And there are so many more online resources available, so poke around and see what's out there that won't require a huge time commitment. 

8. Set Boundaries: While it's essential to be available for athletes, especially during emergencies, set clear boundaries for regular communications to ensure personal time. Don't be afraid to say "No" when you know it is possible. But this is a hard one for many who truly want to help others. Perhaps try setting a boundary and then offer up alternatives or options to put the decision in their court.

9. Stay Connected: Build and maintain relationships with friends, family, and loved ones. Social support is vital in mitigating feelings of isolation and burnout. This sounds easy, but can be tough because you get busy and then tired. But keep reaching out and stay in touch with your network. 

10. Stay Passionate: Remember why you became an Athletic Trainer in the first place. Reconnect with your passion and purpose in the field. Many ATs tell us that they'll think back to that one athlete who recovered from an injury and went on to do something big inspired them. We even had one tell us of an athlete who could no longer play again... but went on to become an AT and that memory always made them smile. 

11. Seek Counseling: If burnout starts to become too overwhelming, consider seeking professional counseling. Therapists can provide coping mechanisms and strategies to deal with job-related stress.

12. Flexibility: If possible, negotiate with your employer for a more flexible schedule or occasional remote work to manage your workload better. If the pandemic taught us anything, it's that we're able to do a lot more virtually. 

13. Rotate Roles: Some institutions allow Athletic Trainers to rotate roles, settings, or sports they cover. This can provide variety in the job and prevent the monotony that may contribute to feeling overwhelmed. The rotation doesn't need to be long-term either - maybe just for a week or even a few days. It can involve a learning curve, but consider that an opportunity and not an obstacle. 

14. Regular Physical Activity: As someone involved in sports, it's essential to maintain personal fitness. Regular physical activity can help manage stress. And we're not talking about running onto field 20 times in row for player cramps either!  We've heard that pickleball is nice... 

15. Stay Informed: Keep abreast of the latest research and techniques in sports medicine and athletic training. Feeling competent, in-the-know, updated and all that can reduce feelings of inadequacy, which can be a factor in burnout. Imposter syndrome? What's that? Never heard of it... (Also, we're trying to put together as much AT news as we can, so stop by the blog or follow us on social media!) 

16. Healthy Diet: Eating a balanced diet can ensure you have the energy and mood stability to tackle long hours and stressful situations. Sure, it's easy to order a pizza for the office or stop by the drive-thru on the way home... but as you advise your kids on nutrition, try to follow your own advice! In fact, a fun hobby might be to watch YouTube video on gourmet cooking or taking a class (See TIP #3 on Self-care!) 

By implementing a few of these strategies, you might be ablet to better manage your workloads and reduce the risk of... burnout (there's that word again!) 

We hope this helps!  And let us know what advice you might have — what do YOU do?!