Compassion Burnout in the Pet Industry. Stop it in its tracks!
As I was spending time reading posts on some groomer Facebook groups, I noticed posts from groomers who were throwing in the towel. They were closing their shops and finding a new profession. This made me very sad.
I understand though, as I too, had gone through a point in my career when I had enough and did not want to groom anymore. This happened more than once. Thankfully this was short-lived, and I found my way out. Today 46 years from the day I started, I am still grooming.
Recently I heard that this phenomenon is called Compassion Burnout. What a perfect way to describe it. It is the cost of being in a caring profession and effects are particularly hard on the ones who show the most empathy.
Having experienced this, myself I can personally tell you the signs.
1) Constant feeling of being overwhelmed, chronic exhaustion/ fatigue
2)Poor work/life balance
3) Dreading going to work
4) Reduced feelings of sympathy and empathy
5)No passion or desire to make things better
6) Impaired decision making
7)Irritability, Anger, Anxiety
8) Feelings of inadequacy
9) Trouble with work/personal relationships
10)Using food/alcohol or other substances to stop the pain
How does this happen?
Being the loving, nurturing caretakers we are, we want to help everyone. saying "No" does not come easily. We tend to take on more than we can handle and set no limits. We overwork ourselves and possibly undercharge or discount our services. We want to groom all the pets and be everything to everybody. There is no personal time and relationships suffer.
This, over time, is the perfect recipe for some to reach the point of no return. If you are not happy on the inside it is going to show in everything you do. Your life and business will mirror the pain you feel on the inside.
My one business failed because of this. Exactly this. I reached a point that I just did not care anymore. All I wanted was out. I had lost employees, clients, my finances were a wreck. I owed back taxes, I had no time to spend with my kids. I worked 7 days a week, 365 days a year, for several years. The maintenance and repairs were getting out of hand. I was overwhelmed, overworked and hated every day. I was done. I did walk away and lost everything. This experience brought me to my knees. I was homeless, with 2 young children, jobless, and miserable.
It has been 14 years since that business failed. It took me a while and I encountered a few obstacles but eventually, I got back on track. Today I am proud to say that I am still grooming. I own a successful mobile business, growing every year, hopefully grossing six figures in 2018.
The lessons I have learned. I will delve into these more in future blog posts but here is a synopsis of what helped me.
1)You need to take care of your body.
Sounds cliché, but it is true. Eat a healthy diet and do some sort of exercise. Stop eating junk food and limit alcohol and smoking. Get a massage. Meditate or take a hike. Develop a spiritual practice. You only have this one body. Take care of it!
2)Set limits!
Do not let clients/employees run your life. Set specific hours and days to work and stick to it. Put systems and policies in place. Reduce your workload and adjust your pricing to accommodate the reduction. You can remain compassionate and supportive without becoming overly involved. You can say "No".
3)Make time for fun stuff.
Making time for leisurely activities is a great stress reliever. Rediscover an old hobby. Discover a new one. I do not work weekends and do not answer phone or emails during "my time". Make your personal time yours and yours alone.
4)Cultivate relationships outside of work.
Spend time with family and friends doing activities that are not work-related. Explore other interests outside of grooming.
5) Get paid for what you're worth.
This is huge. Even when I have a client or pet, I am not particularly fond of, it makes it worthwhile if I get paid well for the job. Your prices need to be created in a way that supports your business, not what the shop down the street charges. Figure out what those prices need to be and market to the clients who will appreciate and pay for your services. Even if I have a bad day, having been paid well for my efforts takes the sting away.
6)Do not take things personally.
This has been a struggle for me. If a client did not come back or an employee left, I always took it so personally. Like I had failed. We all make mistakes sometimes but there are times that things just happen, for no reason. I now understand that the Universe has a plan for me and if a customer goes somewhere else or an employee moves on, that then there is now room for something new and better to come in. My experience has been just this. If it is something I can change, I change it. If not, I let it go.
7) Personal Growth
I find inspiration and motivation everywhere. All you need is to go online put something in the search bar and you can learn about anything you want. Continue to learn and grow. Do not become complacent. Attend industry trade shows or take online courses. Find seminars that interest you and attend. I personally love audio books on business and podcasts on all things that interest me. Browse social media for ideas and mentors. In this day and age, there is no excuse. Knowledge is power!
In closing, I have given you some strategies that have helped me move into a new season of my career. You may have others. I would love to hear what has helped you with burnout. The bottom line is that it all begins with you. You need to make the decision to make your life a priority. If you do not do it, no one else will.
