Staying Resilient: Building a Personal Burnout Prevention Plan

By the time burnout is visible, it’s often already rooted deep. That’s why proactive care as opposed to not reactive crisis management is essential for nurses. A burnout prevention plan helps you recognize your personal warning signs early, use effective coping tools, and build routines that sustain your well-being before the pressure boils over.

Today’s post in our burnout series walks you through crafting your own personalized burnout prevention strategy, with tools that are practical, adaptable, and evidence-informed.

Why You Need a Prevention Plan

Nurses are trained to anticipate patient needs, but often overlook their own until it’s too late. Just as we chart vitals to track patient trends, a prevention plan tracks your wellness trend so you can act early, not react urgently.

A burnout prevention plan helps you:

Recognize early stress indicators
Set boundaries that protect your energy
Stay connected to your purpose and motivation
Create small habits that reinforce resilience
Navigate pressure without defaulting to overwork

Step 1: Identify Your Personal Early Warning Signs

Everyone experiences burnout differently. Think back to the last time you were approaching overwhelm. What were your early signals?

Common early signs:

You feel resentful when asked to help.
You lose interest in your normal routines.
You stop taking full breaks or skipping meals.
You begin to isolate from coworkers or family.
You have trouble sleeping despite being exhausted.

Action plan: Write down three signs that tell you: “I’m headed toward burnout.”

Step 2: Define Your Energy Anchors

Energy anchors are daily or weekly actions that recharge your body and mind. They don’t need to be time-consuming, they just need to be intentional.

Examples:

Drinking a full glass of water at the start of each shift
A 10-minute walk outdoors after work. When I walk in the evening, I try to be very mindful about the experience and present in that moment. I notice the smells of different flowers blooming or the sounds of birds around me.
Calling a friend every Thursday night
Doing a single 5-minute stretch routine each morning or evening. I generally stretch before bed and have made it part of my bedtime hygiene practice. It lets my mind and body know it’s time to sleep.

Action plan: List three non-negotiable habits you want to protect when life gets stressful.

Step 3: Create a “Rest First” Schedule

When you’re busy, rest is often the first thing sacrificed. But, burnout prevention means planning for rest before exhaustion sets in.

Build a “rest first” mindset by:

Pre-scheduling your PTO and sticking to it
Blocking out protected downtime weekly with no tasks, no screens
Keeping your lunch breaks sacred. Even 15 minutes of calm can reset your nervous system. You will return recharged and better able to provide quality patient care.
Getting 7–9 hours of sleep consistently, and requesting not to rotate night/day shifts if possible

Action plan: Look at your week ahead and schedule your top 2 rest blocks, even if they are short.

Step 4: Build Your Boundaries in Advance

Saying “no” is hardest when you’re already depleted. Make your boundaries clear ahead of time so you’re not deciding under pressure.

Scripts to practice:

“Thanks for thinking of me. I’m not available, but I’ll support you in whatever way I can next week.”
“I need to take care of my recovery time this weekend so I can be effective on Monday.”
“That’s outside my bandwidth right now, and I want to do it well. Can we revisit later?”

Action plan: Write two boundary phrases that feel natural to you.

Step 5: Establish Your Support Network

Burnout thrives in isolation. You need people, not just tools.

Your support team might include:

A fellow nurse who checks in weekly
A trusted supervisor or mentor
A therapist or coach familiar with healthcare work
A family member who respects your rest time

Action plan: List 3 people you can talk to when you’re overwhelmed, and reach out now, not later.

Step 6: Keep a Burnout First-Aid Kit

Like a physical first-aid kit, a burnout toolkit includes go-to strategies when things start to slide.

Include:

Your favorite calming playlist
A short breathing or body scan app (like Headspace, Insight Timer or Calm)
A written reminder of “Why I became a nurse”
A list of 3 things that reliably bring you joy or peace

Keep it in your phone notes, locker, or journal. Use it before things escalate.

References

Mayo Clinic. (2024). Job Burnout: How to Spot It and Take Action. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/burnout/art-20046642
National Academy of Medicine. (2023). Clinician Well-Being Knowledge Hub. https://nam.edu/clinicianwellbeing/