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Beth Stultz-Hairston, PSI Vice-President, Marketing & Operations

The holiday season is fast approaching—a time of year that often means even longer hours and busier schedules for professional pet-sitting businesses.

Last year I was invited to speak on a panel discussing major issues impacting the professionalism of our industry. I shared one of PSI’s top concerns there, and I’d like to share it with you: Burnout and compassion fatigue are having a negative impact on the professional pet-sitting industry.

Pet sitting is not easy or for the faint of heart. You work long hours, have to routinely make major business decisions, are daily entrusted with the serious responsibility of caring for others’ pets; and you often find yourself weary dealing with the loss of clients’ pets—or even clients themselves.

Burnout and compassion fatigue are very real issues in our industry—and, if left unaddressed, will begin to chip away at the professionalism of your business and the pet-sitting industry at large. (If you are unsure of what pet sitter burnout or pet sitter compassion fatigue are or how they are different, please be sure to read this previous post on The PSI Blog, “Pet Sitter Burnout and Compassion Fatigue—What you should know.”)

If you aren’t taking care of yourself, you will not be able to take care of your pet-sitting business or your clients.

If your initial enthusiasm has faded or your keen attention to detail has faltered, if particular clients you once prided yourself on pleasing now irritate you or if your daily pet-sitting schedule doesn’t even leave time for lunch, it’s time to take a closer look…at your business and at yourself.

Avoiding pet-sitter burnout this holiday season

Because pet sitting is in such high demand during the holidays, even the most conscientious pet sitters sometimes find themselves overbooked, overworked, and overly tired. This is a dangerous combination that can lead to mistakes during assignments, exhaustion for you and possible damage to your pet-sitting company’s reputation.

You’ve pursued a career that you love and you’ve worked hard to build a solid reputation for your pet-sitting business—you owe it to yourself to take the steps necessary to ensure both you and your business are able to function at their best.

PSI encourages you to give yourself the gift of self-care this busy holiday season!

To combat burnout during the busy holidays, consider these tips:

1. Recognize your limitations—Determine, in advance, how many pet-sitting visits you can comfortably handle in a day without jeopardizing your health or the care provided. Only allot this number of spaces in your scheduling planner or online scheduling software. This way, you’ll be able to easily see when you are reaching your max.

2. Say “NO”—The holiday season typically starts with a rush of pet owners who have waited until the last minute to secure a pet sitter. You’ll likely hear from first-time clients, but even long-term clients may be guilty of this.  Remember, you do not have to accept every client who contacts you. Don’t be afraid to let clients know you are already booked, or turn down assignments that are not a good fit for you, for any reason.  You can still leave the pet owner with a good impression of your business by referring them to another qualified professional pet sitter in your area or directing them to PSI’s Pet Sitter Locator.

3. Take time away from your business—No, I’m not joking. Even during the busy holiday season, you’ve got to have time to relax!  Include “you time” in your daily schedule (schedule it in just as you would a pet-sitting assignment) and find whatever helps you relax, whether it’s yoga, a nap or Facebook games online! Remember, you also don’t have to forgo holiday celebrations—allot a couple of hours in the afternoon for a meal with family and friends on holidays, or schedule a celebration on an alternate day. If holiday celebrations are important to you, find a way to make it work—otherwise, you’ll quickly grow resentful of your business and clients.

The gift that keeps on giving…

While we encourage you to give yourself the gift of self-care this holiday season, you can’t stop there. The old adage “you can’t take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself” rings especially true for our industry.

As a professional pet-sitting business owner, you control the course of your career—so if you are not able to enjoy time with the pets anymore, or if you are letting your business “run you,” take a close look at your business. Learn more about burnout, compassion fatigue and what changes you can make to ensure that you can enjoy your career as a professional pet sitter for years to come.

You can view PSI’s "Burnout, Compassion Fatigue & the Professional Pet Sitter" webinar here.

Remember, prioritizing self-care is a hallmark of professionalism—taking care of yourself to ensure you can offer the best possible care to others is a reflection of your commitment to your clients, your pet-sitting business and the professional pet-sitting industry at large. And that is truly a gift that keeps on giving!