TWELVE STEPS TO RECOVERY FROM BURNOUT

Or how to avoid burnout

We admitted difficulty living as a health-care professional only, that our problems arise from this single focus in life.
We came to believe that accepting help and support from everything life has to offer could restore our physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual health.
We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of our fellows who have learned these lessons and a Higher Power as we understand one.
We made a searching and fearless personal inventory of our problems, strengths, goals and dreams.
We shared our list with trusted others, including our Higher Power, acknowledging our character weaknesses, virtues and humanity.
We became entirely ready to accept the help available to address our basic human needs.
With humility and an open mind we sought to correct the shortcomings in our lives.
We made a list of all persons and institutions we resented or harmed and became willing to address these issues.
We made direct amends where necessary and took any action required to relieve these tensions, except when to do so would harm others.
We continue to monitor internal feelings and needs, promptly admitting when we had a problem.
We remained open and responsive to the help, guidance and love we can receive from others who care about us, including our Higher Power.
Having achieved personal revitalisation as the result of these steps, we try to carry this message to the others in our lives and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

After Kaufman M. (1999) The Twelve-Steps for physicians who seek rehumanising. Ontario Medical Review. November.

Resilient Practitioner, The: Burnout Prevention and Self-Care Strategies for Counselors, Therapists, Teachers, and Health Professionals
by Thomas M. Skovholt