How do you guys prevent burnout?

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Astra

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I am exercising and it really helps out.

Would love other tips and lifestyle changes because once in med school, it only gets worse

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I just held it all in until I developed shingles :shrug:
 
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Ah man. I hope you get better! I heard its pretty painful :(
I caught it early, so it didn't get too bad. Happened after months of MCAT prep last semester lol.

I don't know if stress and burnout are the same thing, though. Burnout, to my understanding, is a function of prolonged stress coupled with a deteriorating positive outlook. While combating stress is certainly a part of preventing burnout, I think that having a balanced yet consistently positive perception of where you're going is also important. Essentially remaining cautiously optimistic and understanding that "it's worth it".
 
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Well, as I am german my answer would be: BEER.
 
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What if youre single?

lol having intercourse and being single are not mutually exclusive. Although if you do as I do and call it intercourse, you may not be having much of it.
 
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I go to alot of Broadway plays .. Getting caught up in another world takes you away from all the problems in yours. Also going out with friends and beating back as much IPA's as possible
 
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You have to engage in self-care activities. This is something that will serve as a "mental break" and as an outlet to let out all that stress and it tends to vary from person to person.

Just to give you a couple of examples of what I do to take care of myself :

-exercise
-play tennis with friends
-watching your favorite shows
-hanging out with friends
-reading things I enjoy
-etc.

You get the idea, just set a time of the day to do stuff you enjoy doing. Just remember that everybody needs a regular breaks to prevent build up of stress and burning out so you are not alone in this :)
 
Exercise, even when you don't feel like it. Make yourself do something every day and you will feel better physically and mentally.
 
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I almost started a grease fire cooking chicken so I'm just thankful I'm alive
 
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Make sure to have a few times in your schedule to have fun. Whatever you really enjoy doing make time for it. Even if it's only a couple of hours.

And don't overdo marathon study sessions, if your studying exhausts you take a break for a bit and come back.
 
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I almost started a grease fire cooking chicken so I'm just thankful I'm alive
Sounds like you almost burned out.












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To prevent burnout, I spend an hour each day doing things I enjoy, whether it be cooking, exercising, watching TV, or having fun with friends. Medicine can easily consume our entire day, so it's important to carve out time for ourselves. There's no point sprinting only to fall halfway through the race.
 
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I am exercising and it really helps out.

Would love other tips and lifestyle changes because once in med school, it only gets worse
Here's my list:
– exercise, 30-40 min 5-6 per week.
– as much sleep as necessary to feel good and happy during the day.
– nutrition. Most importantly, eat enough calories.
– avoid substances that impair sleep or cause hangovers.
meditation. throughout the day, you think many thoughts. 95% of these thoughts are unnecessary bull****. meditation will help you to eliminate the bull****, thereby reducing the strain you put your brain under. It also will reduce stress, improve sleep, and improve cognition.
– recreation. have things you enjoy that you can do every day. Great food. A podcast during commute. A book/show before bed.
– emphasize efficiency; low efficiency work leads to more burnout and less production. Not good!
 
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Honest answer for me is:
1) Working out
2) Looking up reasons info about my goals (During undergrad I would look up info on different med schools and this just gave me more motivation)
3) Cooking
 
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Here's my list:
– exercise, 30-40 min 5-6 per week.
– as much sleep as necessary to feel good and happy during the day.
– nutrition. Most importantly, eat enough calories.
– avoid substances that impair sleep or cause hangovers.
meditation. throughout the day, you think many thoughts. 95% of these thoughts are unnecessary bull****. meditation will help you to eliminate the bull****, thereby reducing the strain you put your brain under. It also will reduce stress, improve sleep, and improve cognition.
– recreation. have things you enjoy that you can do every day. Great food. A podcast during commute. A book/show before bed.
– emphasize efficiency; low efficiency work leads to more burnout and less production. Not good!

LMAO... this list would definitely make me go full freakin' burnout.
 
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Kill horde, play tennis, watch FRIENDs reruns until I cry laughing; kill horde... if its red, it'd dead. :D
 
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I asked my mentor the same thing when I was an undergrad, you told me two things. Every day I have something to look forward to whether it be the gym are hanging out with friends do that. Number two, do not compare yourself to others you will just bring on added stress.


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I just held it all in until I developed shingles :shrug:

Hilarious, because the same thing happened to me when I went on residency interviews...

I got them during spring of MS1, glad to see I'm not the only one who was producing too much cortisol!

The shingles virus is already inside of you:heckyeah:
 
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Not to sound like a douche but, having good work ethic and not viewing working as a negative.
 
Don't try to prevent burnout. Anxiety = fuel = success. Suicidal ideation is a problem for future-you, not current-you.
 
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Omg so much dead horde... lol!

There. Fixed it for you ;)

As an aside, I'm really sorry re: shingles. So sorry. That has to suck :(
 
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@J Senpai - if you ever get camped and left with a fire pit on your head, or a picnic basket and umbrella, you've been Ad2b'd :)
 
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nerds-nerds-everywhere.jpg
 
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nerds-illogical.jpg
 
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This guy Dean Bokhari has really helped me out. And I mean really helped me through crushing things like divorce. He's a former overweight Tobacco lobbyist who experienced what many adults have experienced, the 'what about my life is actually meaningful' question. Now he's this self-help guru/blogger who, having read over 700 self-help books, is like the Spark Notes of self-help.

So I am one to like things nice and neat, simplified, in lowest form (LCD) -- however you want to phrase it. I live by that quote Einstein may or may not have actually said, 'If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough'.

According to Bokhari, we have four basic areas that need to be tended: Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual (do what you want with this last one). If you're not getting exercise, socializing with family and friends, or paying attention to whatever your 'big picture' is, all on a daily basis, then you are essentially running on empty. His analogy is that those four areas are like buckets to be drained and filled, and if these buckets are neglected your whole life is off-balance. For example--and it may sound counterintuitive to some--exercise creates physical energy.

As a pre-med, that mental bucket is constantly being depleted. Meditation, or any uninterrupted activity that requires focus, will refill that bucket (not studying!). I am not personally religious or spiritual, but I have found the simple exercise of meditation to be extremely helpful during stressful times allowing me to get back into study/whatever, refreshed. Meditation = mind-vacation. Take them.

@Astra118, check out one of his posts and see if it works for you; It's specifically about avoiding burnout by managing your time, those buckets, and avoiding Decision Fatigue. Additionally, if you're interested in meditation send me a PM and I can point you in the right direction.
 
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Simple: Getting lei'ed, bruh
One of the best exercises one can do and anti-depressant/relaxant one can take

jKSPaeOy1ZGmaW-gpMXXufmppqRDjeS7izIe86JYiHs7aHRk8aZDb0W1YvUMJ4m4aLbOus4Thbs2znDc6iIweA=s509
 
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Simple: Getting lei'ed, bruh
One of the best exercises one can do and anti-depressant/relaxant one can take

jKSPaeOy1ZGmaW-gpMXXufmppqRDjeS7izIe86JYiHs7aHRk8aZDb0W1YvUMJ4m4aLbOus4Thbs2znDc6iIweA=s509

Legalizing prostitution = mental health initiative? (!) (?) (!!!)
 
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1. EXERCISE!
2. Sleep!
3. Keep a clean apt/house. Helps keep the mind clear if your environment around you is too!
4. Friends to talk to about your problems. Friends just to have fun with and take you away, even not to talk about your problems. Friends can only listen so much and sometimes it's good just to find fun things to do no matter what.
5. If you're single, find someone with whom to mingle!

lol, that's my 2 cents. But #1 and #2 are most important I'd say.
 
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