To prevent physician burnout, you must manage your three internal Energy Banks

A Thank You from a patient or family member can top up all three accounts, but ONLY if you know what to do and say in that moment.

"Thank You" is like rocket fuel because it provides an instant infusion of Spiritual Energy, reconnecting you with the purpose in your practice.

Unfortunately, most doctors deflect thank yous and miss this golden opportunity to prevent burnout.

This is another lesson we never received in Med School, Residency or Fellowship - How to RECIEVE a Thank You with Elegance and Grace.

NOTE:
This is Part 3 of 3 in our Series on Physician Energy Management. Here are the first two:
Part 1 - Physician energy has nothing to do with batteries being run down
Part 2 - Physician's 3 Energy Banks

The Thank You Connection to Spirit

Spirit in your practice is your connection to PURPOSE. You must have reminders you are making a difference and serving a purpose regularly or your Spiritual Energy Bank becomes drained. At that point, the little voice in your head might start whispering, "What's the use."

That little voice phrase, "What's the use. I'm really not making a difference or serving a purpose here," is actually the third symptom of burnout.

Here's how I discovered the Thank You connection to Spirit.

It was by accident, early in my physician coaching practice. I was looking for a way to help doctors remember what they enjoy about seeing patients

I asked hundreds of my physician clients:

"Tell me about your last Ideal Patient Visit"

You know the one...

That special interaction, during an otherwise busy day, that lights you up. Where, at the end of the day, you said to yourself,

"oh yeah, that's why I became a doctor in the first place," with a little fist pump.

Or when you get home, you say, "Honey, sit down, I have to tell you what happened at work today."

97% of the time that feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment comes from two words the patient, or a family member, said to you.

Work Life Balance for Physicians – the power of “Scheduled Spontaneity”

The two prime directives we learn in our medical education:
The Patient Comes First
and Never Show Weakness
virtually guarantee work will always come out on top. 

Work Life Balance is a task only you can accomplish. You must force the issue. Make it happen.

Fortunately the tools for this task are simple and the weekly life balancing process only takes a few minutes.

Physician Burnout - Who will Save Us?

Let's talk about what to do when you finally realize you are on your own, that no one and nothing is coming to rescue you.

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In most burnout blog posts and comments on the internet, physicians do the same thing - blame, justify and complain about the work stresses we are under.

• Our struggles and frustrations are real
• Our concerns are 100% legitimate
• And yet pointing fingers and playing the victim will only keep you stuck DEEP in Einstein's Insanity Trap

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Learn More:
235 Proven Tools for Your Burnout Prevention Strategy
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The latest survey shows over 60% of doctors suffering from symptomatic burnout on any given office day. New levels of work stress seem to pile on each week. We all daydream of a lifeline, a rescue, a refuge, a break.

It is as if we are locked high in the castle tower, at the mercy of our evil captors - EMR, MOC, Preauths, RVU production quotas, the Call Center is a mess, and my Inbox is overflowing like a plugged toilet. Surely someone has dispatched a knight in shining armor to free us from this torment.

All of these concerns are true and valid AND understand one thing ...

Complaining and dreaming of a rescue is Playing the Victim - Pure and Simple

There is no one and nothing coming to save you

This yearning only distracts you from saving yourself

Let me set a framework for addressing burnout effectively - the straightest path to meaningful change in your work day and your organization.

So you can release the urge to blame, justify and complain,
hear that little voice calling you to take back your practice,
and know how to get started. 

Time management is a myth.

There is no such thing as time management.  You and I get 24 hours in each day – 168 of them in a week. No more and no less. The seconds in an hour are a fixed resource that no one can manipulate or manage or finagle or cajole or multiply. So let’s all stop focusing on ” time management ” and do something MUCH more productive instead.

Let me show you a simple checklist to
Manage Your Priorities instead
and create more work-life balance this week