The Battery Fallacy is one of the great myths of Physician Burnout. 

The Battery Fallacy

When I deliver a training at a Med Staff Meeting, I always ask, "Raise your hand if you have ever said, 'My batteries are run down, I just need a recharge'. All the hands go up. 

The batteries-run-down is the most common metaphor for burnout and it is TOTALLY INACCURATE.

The Battery Theory of physician energy management is a myth, a fallacy.

It is a blind spot.

It is a barrier to recognizing and preventing physician burnout. 

Our work with over 40,000 doctors in the last 12 years has revealed a working model of physician energy that provides:

An accurate representation of energy balance in doctors

The energetic source of the symptoms of burnout 

Burnout treatment and prevention mechanisms you can put into place today

In my work with over stressed physicians I have noticed a consistent misunderstanding of the pathophysiology of burnout – the hidden methods physician burnout uses to sap your energy and steal your passion for medicine.

In this post I will show you how Physician Burnout does it’s dirty work.

Once you clearly understand how physician burnout operates, you will begin to see the simple ways you can keep the normal stresses of being a doctor — from crossing the line into threatening your career, your marriage and even your life.

A member of our network just sent me this quote.

I believe it is meant to be some kind of funny ... or a perhaps is offered up as a twisted "reality check" to those who attempt to have healthy boundaries between work and home and run into this individual who appears to claim Iron Man status.

It is certainly old school and completely unhealthy and just plain wrong. This is the workaholic, superhero, Lone Ranger, perfectionist programming we are all victim to.  

This is the boomer philosophy that makes it impossible to have healthy boundaries and admit to any struggle. This is where Imposter Syndrome begins. I feel like I want to take a shower after I read this. You?

"Physicians suffer Imposter Syndrome more than other US Workers"

A headline that has every doctor and nurse nodding their head in agreement and my personal "DUH of the Week" in healthcare industry news.

Fortunately, the authors put together some pretty good recommendations for action steps in the end. Check it out. 

A new study from Tait Shanafelt MD, et al at Stanford is out:

Imposter Phenomenon in US Physicians Relative to the US Working Population

We All Know This is True and remember how it started way back in Medical School.

The inner voice says, "What if they find out?"
... and you are off to the Shame and Guilt Olympics.

For over 50 years, hundreds of research studies have demonstrated this consistent hierarchy
- Physician Wellness is the Foundation for Physician Engagement and Performance.

The Health, Happiness and Wellbeing of your Physicians and Staff will determine:

⇒ Their levels of Engagement and Satisfaction

⇒ The ease of Recruitment and the amount of Turnover in the patient care teams

⇒ The Quality of their care

⇒ The Quantity of care they can deliver

⇒ The Safety of that care and the number of Medical Errors

⇒ The level of Patient Satisfaction

[ and even the Net Promoter Score if that is what keeps you up at night ]

NOTICE:
PHYSICIAN WELLBEING COMES FIRST 

WELLBEING begets ENGAGEMENT which begets PERFORMANCE
⇒ IN THAT ORDER

STOP #PhysicianBurnout
Narrative Medicine
A Poem

Help us welcome Doctor Susan Leggett-Johnson MD to our physician coach team!

Susan has completed her executive coaching and physician coach training and joins our diverse team of physician coaches at TheHappyMD.com.

Dr. Leggett-Johnson a is a certified executive coach, board-certified internist, very experienced physician executive, mom and a woman of color in healthcare who plays an active role in addressing diversity, equity and inclusion issues in medicine.

She is calm, thoughtful, an excellent listener and shares her insights from a deep well of  experience as a physician, physician leader and a woman of color navigating both clinical and leadership roles in the healthcare industry. 

Susan is an expert in helping you recognize and recover from burnout, find a path to a more ideal practice, develop leadership skills especially if you are in a named leadership position and helping moms and women of color navigate the journey to being a happy, healthy physician too.