Avoiding Midwife Professional Burnout

Professional Burnout

Midwives are prone to professional burnout. We give to our clients, family, friends, and community. When do we have time for ourselves? Running a business might make you feel as though you cannot possibly step away. Some areas have such a high demand and not enough midwives, so time off might not even feel like an option. Being on call can really take a toll on us.

You have the power to create a business plan that has networks in place and backup options to call for sick days and vacation. I became so burnt out about two years ago. I didn’t take a vacation for three years. I missed many weddings, birthday parties, baseball games, and date nights. I was so exhausted from supporting my clients that I never took the time to care for myself. I had professional burnout. I didn’t like midwifery anymore. I had regrets of the professional career choice I made. I wanted a balance. I wanted to care for women and still care for myself and family. I pushed off having another baby for three years, because I knew the practice couldn’t live without me.

I stepped away from private midwife business and joined a hospital team to help heal my soul and spend more time with my family. I did a lot of soul searching, had another baby, took more business classes to learn from my past business mistakes, and found my passion for supporting midwives starting their own businesses. Women need support in all aspects of their lives and I realized that midwives are great at caring for women and weak at business ownership.

LEARN TO SAY NO

Simply put: midwives need to LEARN TO SAY NO! We tend to give and give even if there aren’t enough hours in the day. When your day gets busier and busier, your personal health suffers.

You MUST have a profitable midwife business plan that creates a system that will run whether you are sleeping, sick, or on vacation. Go on vacation at LEAST three times a year. Even for a long weekend just to get away. Whether it is a family vacation or romantic retreat with your partner, get away and turn your phone off. Have your well trained staff run the practice for you.

Plan and implement excellent staff and protocols to follow your mission and guide them while you are away. Creating a successful midwifery business is about serving your community and your life’s purpose. We don’t want to work to live, we want to live and enjoy work. Many people truly don’t retire when they have a job that doesn’t feel like a job. Create the midwife business you don’t ever want to leave and keeps you free from professional burnout!

Youtube Video:  Beating Midwifery Burnout