Avoiding BCBA Burnout
Set Boundaries
When starting any job, you need to prioritize setting healthy, professional boundaries from the beginning. As a BCBA, this is no different. Even if you started the job without any boundaries in place and you've already spent a few months or a few years at your current company, it's never too late to reassess your boundaries and set them now.
One of the easiest boundaries to overstep as a BCBA is the time that you are available. Especially if you are an in-home BCPA and your primary way of contacting parents is through text or call, parents may often choose to reach out to you outside of typical business hours. This includes being contacted at 11:59pm with a phone call because a parent had a question!
Be clear with parents up front about when you're available to talk and when you'll be unavailable. Consider setting personal business hours if you don’t work at a school or clinic (e.g. 8am-8pm) and let everyone you work with know that outside of these hours, you will be unavailable. This applies to coworkers and supervisors as well!
Better yet, if you're able to utilize two phones, one for personal and one for work, this would allow you to physically turn off your work cell phone when you finish your work, giving you peace of mind that you don’t have to worry about work until the next day.
Remember Progress
Success is not always linear. Children with special needs such as Autism often experience regression. Regression refers to the loss of a skill or knowledge that a person used to have.
It can be easy as a supervising clinician to take it personally and beat yourself up whenever a client experiences regression. But remember your purpose as a BCBA, this is why we are here to help. Our clients need patience and consistency when it comes to learning important skills and behaviors that are going to change their life.
One thing that helps when I'm feeling down about a client's lack of progress is to keep a journal or a diary of all the successes that my clients have experienced thus far in my career. From personal client progress for a really hard program, like toilet training, to compliments that parents have given me about my ability to do my job, write it down. Write anything down to helping encourage yourself in the future when you're feeling down about the lack of progress you may be experiencing. Just remember, no PHI!
Set Aside Time for Yourself
If you work set hours throughout the day, such as a 9-to-5 job, you don't have to work non-stop at 100% during the entire work day. Remember to take breaks to give yourself, both body and mind, rest.
This is typically easier to do as an in-home BCBA since you have alone time automatically built in during the day as you drive between clients. Still, if driving is stressful for you, consider arriving to your client’s neighborhood 10-15 minutes before you’re supposed to arrive and find a shady spot to park your car and relax.
Perhaps you keep a book and some high preferred snacks in your desk or in your car for when you need a moment of decompression. Pack distractions and sensory items, such as slime or essential oils, to help you when you’re stressed.
If you feel yourself losing your mind and need a couple of minutes to yourself, but you don't want to give the appearance that you don't care or are out of it, let your therapist or staff members know that you'll be back after a quick bathroom break. Use that private time to scroll through social media, send a few texts, or read a short article to help take your mind off of what stressing you out. It's okay to occasionally engage in some escape maintained behavior!
Use Tools to Streamline Your Day
Have materials and systems in place to ensure you don’t lose track of deadlines. It can be difficult to rely on old fashioned post-it notes to keep track of your ever-growing to-do list. See if your company (or other fellow BCBAs) have personal clinical trackers or software they use to keep themselves organized. Some companies offer free templates for employees to track important information such as billable hours and upcoming parent meetings.
Need Help Getting Organized?
Check out the digital organizers available in the Behavioral Basics shop.
Use ABA On Yourself
Manipulate your environment so that your materials are ready the night before and you don't have to spend precious morning moments getting ready for the work day.
Use high-probability sequencing to help build momentum by doing smaller, quicker tasks in the morning (like making the bed and brushing your hair) before doing the larger, more difficult things on your to-do list (like an 8am gym workout).
Think of all the ways you help your clients succeed in life, and don't be afraid to use those strategies in creative ways to help you succeed in your own life.
