The Massage Therapist Career Killer

Let's talk about...Burnout!

We all experience it at one point or another in our careers. How do you know when it strikes you? Let's look at some symptoms:

1. You’re mentally checked out while working on your clients.
2. You're going through the motions and bored outta your mind most of the day (OMG, these massages are taking forever!!!).
3. You’re becoming physically worn out. It’s painful to get through your sessions.
4. It’s hard to survive financially and second-guessing going back to school.
5. The emotional toll from clients can wear on you.

I’ve felt burnout throughout my massage career and seen it take out several colleagues over the years. Left unaddressed, burnout will shorten your career. So, what are some of the things you can do?

1. Keep learning to become the best Massage Therapist you can be. Many free resources are out there to help improve your techniques. CEU Classes and Massage Therapist Coaching can help with this. 
2. Learn supplemental education to improve your clients' lives. For example, expand into health/life coaching, get a personal training certification, etc. You can switch it up so you're not just doing massage but other services for your clients.
3. Network/Trade or get together with other Massage Therapists. It helps to get support from those who are in the same boat as you!
4. Think about where you want to be in 1,5,10 years with your career and plan out what steps you may need to take to get there (Write It Down!). It can be exciting to plan the future!
5. Eat more whole foods & watch your diet. Yes, your diet can be a factor in not feeling motivated to go to the office.
6. Get enough sleep. If you’re not getting enough sleep, you’ll feel drained and clock-watching every massage.
7. Pain in your thumbs? Chronic pains from massage? Then, you need to change your approach. Really check in with your body mechanics and work smarter, not harder. You shouldn’t be experiencing muscle aches & pains at the end of each day from your work. Also...electric lift tables should be a requirement for everybody!
8. Overwhelmed with your schedule? Raise your rates. Not getting enough clients? Read up on marketing, get help with Facebook ads, get a mentor, network with others, and get out of your comfort zone.
9. Clients that emotionally drain you? Tell your employer you no longer want to work on them or fire them from your practice. If you’re not already, you will get to the point where you can be picky-choosy on who you work on.
10. Never let clients walk all over you. Set boundaries and stick with them. People will take advantage if you let them. For example, Your hours are your hours; don’t make special exceptions for clients unless they are a beloved regular with whom you have established a good relationship. Also, don’t keep a client who is constantly late or no-shows.

These are some of the things that have helped me avoid burnout. I used to do 6-8 hours of massage daily, but I recognized when I needed to take time off to offset getting burned out from too much massage. Are you having a hard time with burnout but still love massage? Maybe it's time to get some help! Click the link below to learn about my group coaching program. Sometimes, it helps to get fresh ideas and perspectives that can change your outlook. I hope you found this helpful!

Group Coaching For Massage Therapists