Practicing What We Preach: Finding Occupational Balance to Prevent Burnout in OT School

We learn to support others in engaging in meaningful occupations across life areas, but may struggle to find that balance in our own lives. Within the first few days or weeks of occupational therapy (OT) school, you are introduced to some core occupations: ADLs, IADLs, Rest/Sleep, and Leisure. The importance of engagement in meaningful occupations is deeply rooted within our education. Yet, as OT students, it may feel like it's hard to apply that to our own life at times. Academic demands often overcast our ability to practice what we preach—making time for engaging in meaningful occupations that enhance the overall quality of life.

One assignment that I completed early on in my education that made this clear was the Activity Time Clock. It was intended to track our day and document how long we spend doing each activity throughout the entire day for 7full days. The goal was to visualize the different occupations that we engaged in throughout the day. What I saw on my time clock was eye opening—nearly every hour was spent in school work and my job. I was able to see that I did not leave myself any time for rest, leisure, or restorative activities. I realized that I was not allowing myself time to do what we are taught to promote: engagement in purposeful occupations to support overall well-being. At this point, I knew I had to create a plan and strategies to prevent burnout and sustain engagement in all areas of life. I can confidently say that once I implemented and practiced those strategies, the overall quality of my life improved. If you’ve had a similar experience and/or know of someone navigating life throughout OT school, consider my strategies as a guide to help you practice what you preach!

Create Structure With Flexibility

Create a routine that supports your responsibilities and desires, but leave spaces for fluidity. Being flexible is important when things do not go as planned, and they certainly won't always go as planned.

Be Organized

At the beginning of each week, pencil in what is on the agenda, including assignments that are due that week, job hours, appointments, etc. Having it in front of you on paper (or digitally) visually will help you to fully understand what the week ahead looks like. This organization will allow you to engage in meaningful occupations without feeling like you don’t have time for them.

Engage in Restorative Occupations

Make time for things that restore your energy. This may look like movement, downtime, arts and crafts, and/or anything that you feel like recharges your mind, body, and soul. These things are not and should not be treated as rewards; rather, they are important for functioning and contribute to the overall quality of life.

Set Boundaries

Learn how to protect your time and energy, whether that is the ability to say “no” to extra commitments, set a nonnegotiable time slot for yourself within your schedule, or limit screen time. It is important to remember that setting boundaries does not mean you have to remove certain things in your life; it is creating space to focus on what matters most.

Values-Based Self-Reflection

Set regular check-ins with yourself to ensure that the occupations you engage in align with your values. Pause for a second and ask yourself, “Am I doing the things that I care about? What can I do that will fulfill me?” to help guide your choices.

Engaging in occupational balance can reduce burnout in different areas of life. Occupational balance isn't about an equal distribution, but rather about being intentional with how our time, energy, and attention are spent. That moment when I presented my activity time clock, it taught me that occupational therapy isn't just a career, it is truly a way of living. It became clear that engaging in a variety of meaningful occupations is essential for preventing burn out.

Once I implemented these strategies to restore my own balance, my emotional, mental, and physical well-being greatly increased and my overall quality of life surpassed what it has ever been. If we want to support others in adapting or remediating a meaningful life, we must allow ourselves to live in one. Since becoming an OT student, I now carry this new imagery of occupation not only as a student, but as a future clinician.

Lily Moore-Markey is a second-year post-baccalaureate Doctor of Occupational Therapy student at Quinnipiac University. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Human Development and Family Sciences from the University of Connecticut. Lily currently serves as the Secretary for Quinnipiac’s Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity (COTAD) chapter and volunteers for the Lions Low Vision Clinic on campus. She is exploring different areas of interest for future practice through her fieldwork experiences and coursework.