I totally understand the struggle with burnout in social work practice. I’ve been there myself, both as a psychotherapist and now as a mentor and coach. Burnout is real in our field, but I’ve found that setting firm boundaries, prioritizing self-care, and seeking support from peers can make a big difference. Remember, it’s okay to take a step back and recharge—you can’t pour from an empty cup. You’re not alone in this journey.

I was told from the start of the course and even now in my fourth year, keep looking out for yourself and practice self care. so many times.... But the reminder is always needed!

Connect with fellow social workers to create a social support system. Being an incredibly diverse community, social workers have the advantage of knowing at least one person who must be going through a similar experience, thereby enhancing empathy. Ours is not a profession that can exist in silos and neither can the professionals.

Life-work balance, that is my only answer. We don't need to spend the rest of our lives by just working and working and working, we got to have our own life, our own schedule. Make it a habit that we don't just spend our time with our works and duties, but we also need some self-time. Go out or spend some time with your family or friends during dayoffs and holidays. Or find your hobbies, you can also read some book or write some journal for about 5 minutes a day so as to not just focusing our life to our works.