The Hidden Burnout Traps: Why Practice Owners Are Exhausted and Don’t Even See It
Let’s talk about burnout—the kind that sneaks up on you while you’re busy running your practice, managing a team, and trying to hold it all together. Because here’s the thing: burnout isn’t just about working too much. It’s about chronic stress, emotional exhaustion, and slowly losing control over the business you built (ironic, right?).
Burnout Is More Than Just Overwork
You think you’re just exhausted from long hours, but burnout runs deeper. It’s about the mental load of constantly being the decision-maker, the fixer, the one everyone turns to. It’s about that feeling of always being “on,” of never quite being able to step away without things falling apart.
Burnout shows up when:
You feel emotionally drained, but keep pushing through.
You’ve lost control over your time, energy, and the day-to-day of your business.
The work that once felt meaningful now just feels like work.
If that sounds familiar, welcome to the club (not the fun kind, unfortunately).
The Sneaky Burnout Traps You Keep Falling Into
Burnout doesn’t just happen—it’s a slow creep, and these common traps make it worse:
🚩 The “Busy Season” Lie – You tell yourself, “It’s just a busy season. It’ll slow down soon.” But if your “season” has lasted six months, you’re in a pattern, not a season.
🚩 The Magic Hire Myth – Thinking one hire will save you? Not if your systems are a mess. Hiring is great, but without clear processes, you’re just adding another person to your stress pile.
🚩 Just Push Through – This mindset is a one-way ticket to exhaustion. Burnout isn’t fixed by “powering through.” It’s fixed by changing how you operate.
🚩 The “I’m the Only One Who Can Do It” Trap – If you think no one else can handle things, congrats! You’ve built a business that can’t function without you. That’s not a business—that’s a high-stress, poorly paid job.
🚩 Fear of Taking a Break – If stepping away makes everything collapse, your business isn’t sustainable. You shouldn’t have to be available 24/7 for things to run smoothly.
Burnout Symptoms: What to Watch For
Burnout doesn’t hit all at once—it creeps in like a bad habit. Here’s how to know if you’re already in deep:
You’re irritable AF, snapping at little things.
Procrastination has become your new best friend.
No matter how much you rest, you’re always tired.
Physical symptoms like headaches, stomach issues, or body tension.
And if you’ve reached the final stage? You’re mentally checking out. You’re resentful, everything feels overwhelming, and the idea of “fixing” things feels impossible.
So, What’s Next?
Burnout isn’t solved by self-care weekends or fancy planners. You need boundaries. And not the kind where you say you won’t check emails after 7 p.m. but still do (we’ve all been there). The next post in this series will be all about setting boundaries that actually stick—so burnout doesn’t run your life.
Get Support Before Burnout Runs Your Practice
If this is hitting home, you don’t have to figure it all out alone. Inside the Culture Focused Practice Membership, we talk real strategies for running a sustainable business—one that doesn’t drain the life out of you. Live Q&As, deep-dive trainings, and an active community of people who get it.
🔥 Join us now!
And if you want to dive deeper right now, listen to this episode of the Culture Focused Practice Podcast where I break down burnout even more. 🎧
Because burnout shouldn’t be the cost of doing business. Let’s fix that. 🚀
About the Author
Dr. Tara Vossenkemper is a gently-candid consultant who’s been in the trenches of group practice ownership since 2017. With a hearty blend of depth, irreverence, and a solid dash of humor (or so she hopes), Tara helps practice owners navigate the can-be-messy process of hiring, culture-building, vision generating, people-y issues, and all the other things that keep you up at night. When she’s not consulting, she’s probably wrangling her animals or homeschooling her kids—because why not add more chaos to the mix?
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