Do you regularly feel like you are barely getting through the week?  Are you just making it to the next school break? Perhaps you feel like you are stuck in a rut from which you haven’t the foggiest idea of how to extricate yourself. Research has shown that below are 3 of the main reasons that people get stuck and risk dreaded burnout!

1. Does your teletherapy lack purposeful planning and prioritizing?

Look, it happens to all of all us, you just become so busy being busy.  Sometimes you feel like you are just spinning around on a hamster wheel.  And if I told you that you aren’t planning enough, you would scream back at me, “How in the world can I plan if I can’t even get through the day!”  While it may be annoying, everyone knows that you need to take time to “create” time.

It begins with determining your focus.  Once every 6 months or so, you need to take a step back to clarify your current teletherapy objectives.  Do you want to increase your hours? Perhaps you want to expand your toolbox or sharpen skills that you already have. Or maybe it is time to do more networking to see about other online therapy opportunities. Whatever it is, give yourself time to know where you are at, so that you can become energized with a greater sense of purpose.

But while contemplating and evaluating is necessary, it indeed isn’t sufficient.  You must implement your findings. Otherwise, the time spent may end up being an exercise in futility. Have the courage and resolve to be dedicated to transforming your job with your new insights.  And observe how their impact reaches beyond the teletherapy and into your feelings about yourself and your life as well.

 

2. Are you aware of what isn’t working and needs to be changed?

Very often an unintended consequence of the soul-searching just mentioned is that you will hit upon aspects of your teletherapy that either aren’t working at all or not well enough. Once you become more attuned to your performance and feelings about it, you will be in a better position to hone in on what needs to be done to make the changes that will refresh your remote therapy.

However, sometimes it won’t be so readily apparent what is the cause of your frustration.  This may signal the need to dig a bit deeper and consider that there may be something about your teletherapy that hits upon a fear that you have.  You may not have mastered a particular area of knowledge or some skill that is critical to your success, and this is holding you back.

Perhaps you are telling yourself that you can’t change.  This may indicate that you need to find a colleague or a friend with whom to share.   Alternatively, this fear may serve as a door into self-discovery where you may learn more about yourself as a person, utterly independent of teletherapy. But you will never get there without beginning the process.

 

3. Are You Dropping The Ball or Following Through?

Look, all of us drop the ball sometimes.  The question you need to answer is whether or not this has become a habit.  If it has, you may want to consider what messages your mind is telling you. Is your mind saying that the particular task is too complicated?  Is it saying that this is boring, or just not worth completing? Whatever the message, it is important to remember that your mind isn’t as powerful as you think.  Regardless, developing the habit of perseverance can be cultivated.

You need to realize that everyone’s brain is resistant to change- generally seeking the easiest way out. What is amazing is that you can override the brain without a confrontation.  Stop trying to argue with your mind, and instead commit yourself to getting the job done. The positive results will encourage you to continue on this path until the brain no longer attempts to defy you.