By Kate at Carejobz Recruitment | Career Consultant & Transformational Holistic Life Coach
In my work as a career consultant, I speak with dozens of healthcare professionals every week ,who are battling the intense pressures of their roles. Many of them are burned out, overwhelmed, and caught in a constant loop of overthinking. Sound familiar?
Healthcare professionals are especially vulnerable to chronic workplace stress. Long shifts, emotional demands, and the pressure of caring for others can quickly tip into burnout. But it’s not just healthcare—whether you’re in corporate, trades, or community services, stress and overthinking are silently eroding work/life balance across the board.
That’s where Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can be a game-changer for the professionals I coach.
What is ACT?
ACT (pronounced like the word “act”) is a modern psychological approach that blends mindfulness with behavioral change strategies. It helps people step back from unhelpful thoughts, connect with their core values, and take meaningful action, without being ruled by stress or anxiety.
Unlike traditional approaches that try to “fix” or avoid painful thoughts, ACT teaches you how to live with them in a healthy way. The result? More clarity, purpose, and resilience.
6 Simple Tools for Self-Growth
Here are six practical ACT tools, simple, science-backed, and powerful:
1. Defusion: Detach from Your Thoughts
When stressful thoughts like “I’m not good enough” show up, ACT helps you notice them without letting them control you.
Try saying:
“I’m having the thought that I’m not good enough.”
This small shift creates space between you and the thought—and gives you back control.
2. Values Clarification
Burnout often stems from misalignment between your work and your personal values.
ACT guides you to identify what truly matters to you—whether that’s compassion, growth, or work/life balance, so you can realign your decisions.
3. Mindful Grounding
Simple breathing or grounding techniques help shift attention away from racing thoughts. A favorite of mine:
“5-4-3-2-1” – Name 5 things you see, 4 you feel, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, and 1 you taste.
Perfect for a mid-shift mental reset
4. The “Passengers on the Bus” Exercise
Imagine your negative thoughts and feelings as noisy passengers on a bus you’re driving. You don’t have to kick them off, just don’t let them take the wheel. Keep driving toward your goals anyway.
5. Committed Action
Once you’re clear on your values, ACT encourages setting small, achievable goals. Stuck in a job that drains you? Maybe your first step is updating your CV or setting up a coffee chat with someone in a new role.
6. Self-as-Context (The Observing Self)
This technique reminds you that you are more than your thoughts, emotions, or job title. You are the observer—the one noticing. That perspective alone can reduce overwhelm.
Work/Life Balance Isn’t a Myth—It’s a Skill
Through ACT and coaching, many of my clients have rebuilt their confidence, shifted careers, or even found renewed joy in the roles they already had. Stress didn’t disappear—but they learned how to stop being consumed by it.
Remember: You can’t pour from an empty cup. Taking care of your mental wellbeing is not a luxury, it’s essential for sustained success and fulfillment, especially in demanding industries like healthcare.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re experiencing burnout or simply feel stuck in your career, ACT offers practical tools to step out of stress and into intentional living. If you’re ready to stop overthinking and start growing, I’d love to help you on that journey. Contact kate@carejobz.com
You don’t have to do it alone.
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