Birth worker burnout is real. In this week’s post, I want to focus on shedding light on this critical topic and share ways to help prevent or minimize it so we can continue this vital work for families in our communities. Remember, as a doula, you must take care of yourself wholeheartedly before you can show up for your clients. 

But before we can talk about how to prevent doula burnout, let’s first define what doula burnout is.

Signs/symptoms of doula burnout:

• Lack of sleep or not sleeping well.
• Not eating healthy. 
• “Dropping the ball” too often: missing emails to set up client appointments or not keeping records of clients properly or accordingly.
• No boundaries between professional and personal life.
• You or your family are feeling the strain and stress of your work.
• No self-care.
• Losing focus on the purpose of it all.

Preventing burnout: 

• Set boundaries: office hours for non emergency stuff. 
• 1-2 clients per month. 
• A backup doula partner. 
• Join a collective doula practice or a nonprofit, so you don’t have to worry about overhead business. 
• Stay healthy by sleeping well, eating healthy organic foods, and exercising.
• Reaching out to other doulas to debrief; some organizations have clinical consultants.
• If you don’t have clients within a date, leave your phone away from where you are sitting or sleeping. 

Self-care:

• Take breaks when you are not depleted completely.  
• Take vacations, even if it’s a weekend long.
• Eat healthy 
• Develop good sleeping habits: aim for 8 hours.
• Have “me” time where you do what you enjoy: pray, meditate, watch a favorite show, or visit a local favorite ice cream parlor. 
• Feed your senses: essential oil diffuser, candles, and fresh flowers are on display when you pause. 
• Exercise: Zumba, yoga, kickboxing, running, etc. 
• Reach out to other doulas to debrief. 
• Utilize clinical consultants if your organization has one to do a debriefing. 

Personal development:

• Continuing education courses. 
• Take business courses. 
• Social media marketing. 
• Join a local doula social club.
• At the end of each day, ask yourself what you are grateful for that day. 
• Spiritual connection.
• Read or listen to books 
• Listen to podcasts about business/leadership.

Please note this is not an exhaustive list, by any means, of ways to prevent doula burnout. It is, however, some of the most effective ways to help prevent it. 

Please share in the comments section what you do to help prevent burnout. 

Till next time, keep on doulaing!

Faisa