A Letter to New Healthcare Graduates: What I Wish I'd Known About Burnout
You don’t need to earn your place in the profession through suffering. You’re already enough.
So go forward. Be kind. Be curious. Set boundaries. Drink water. And if you ever find yourself crying in the staff toilet wondering how it all got so heavy - come back here. Read this again.
You've got this. And if you don't? That’s okay too. We’re building a space where it's safe to be honest about that.
Here’s to your new career. And here’s to keeping you intact while you do it.
The Sneaky Signs of Burnout You Shouldn’t Ignore
It crept in quietly, like damp in a poorly ventilated staff room. At first, it was just a few off days. Then a few more. Then suddenly I couldn’t remember the last time I felt fully human.
If you're reading this and thinking, "Same," then allow me to put into words what your brain might be too frazzled to Google.
No One Told Me What Burnout Was - Until It Was Too Late
Let’s just get this out of the way: burnout isn’t just stress.
Stress is, "I've got a lot on today."
Burnout is, "I can’t remember the last time I felt like myself, and if one more person emails me about a meeting that could simply just be communicated through an email, I will throw my laptop into the sea."