RE-THINKING DOCTOR BURNOUT:
4 STEPS TO AVOID & OVERCOME
As a psychologist, we have found that the term “burnout” in reference to doctors is a false expectation of failure, hyperbole, and a subtle deception that has been perpetuated among healthcare providers. As a 6th grader this past year, my son ran track for the first time. As I sat in the stands, it fascinating to watch how these children that were new to running reacted to getting tired or “burnout.”
As the kids approached the finish line, all of us parents screamed from the stands, “Finish strong, don’t let them catch you, hurry up, you’re almost there, and you can do it!”
Some of the kids would go so hard to the end that they would have to lay down right there on the track when they were done. Others, despite all of the screaming and encouragement from the parents, coaches, and teammates; just slowed down or even stopped as soon as they felt tired and watched as all of their competitors passed them by.
Fatigues is real and there are several layers to preventing and overcoming in in practice. Yet, be very leery of using the term burnout. Burning out suggests you lack the resilience to overcome stressors or the skills and intellect to adjust to challenges. That word “burnout” is actually considered a cultural misnomer for healthcare providers.
My son runs the mile. In his first race, he took off fast and I said to my wife, “Uh oh, this is going to hurt.” Going into the 3rd lap you could see the pain and worry on his face. He is very competitive, so this 6th grader competing against 7th and 8th graders did not stop or slow down. He crossed the finish and had to lay down on the infield for 30 minutes.
I walked over to see if he was OK. It surprised him at just how exhausted he could get and keep going. He also questioned if it was possible to get through 2 more long races that day in the Orlando heat and humidity. Without the option of quitting, he completed the other races successfully and learned that the human will can overcome doubt and fatigue internally and environmental pressures externally – and just keep running the race.
4 STEPS TO AVOID AND OVERCOME PRACTICE FATIGUE
- CREATIVITY: A failure to be creative will lead to a failure to thrive. Pursuing new ideas, products, and services you feel passionate about can bring years of new energy. As an example, I pursued my faith-passion by putting into practice a Christian Business Leaders lunch the first Tuesday of the month. We developed partners who helped supply food, brought in pastors to speak, and had other members share how they were “Putting faith to work.” This brought me new growth and enthusiasm for life in chiropractic.
- KNOW THE TRUTH: You have the resilience and can develop skills to adapt to physician stress. You’re not merely bound to ultimately “burnout” – you can keep running successfully.
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SCHEDULED BREAKS: Don’t get to the run-down point.Pre-schedule out your year with breaks, getaways, re-charges, and vacation:
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3-4 day weekends that are get-a-ways or professional development events that energize, surround yourself with like-minded peers, and provide new or better methods and ideas.
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5-14 day vacations depending on your time in practice and your ability to afford.
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- CONGRUENCY: Expectations must meet reality (Or at least come close).
Many chiropractors are clear: patients should be under long term care, children should get adjusted, and that the people in the practice should be moving towards a different lifestyle and approach to their health. You suffer from something called “moral injury” if what you believe should be true of your patients and practice is not congruent in your actual practice. Without congruency, a level of exhaustion is building up each day and even by the patient visit. New skills, processes, and procedures must be developed to more align your expectations with your reality more and more consistently or you will get tired.
Do you want to re-discover joy in your practice and begin growing and thriving again?
Give us a call or Text:618-660-1678
Have FUN saving the world
Dr. Ben
Do you want to re-discover joy in your practice and begin growing and thriving again?
Contact us at: [email protected]
