Work Life Balance for Physicians Power Tool - Scheduled Spontaneity

Posted by Dike Drummond MD

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

When it comes to work-life balance for physicians, it's up to you. Left to its own devices, your career/practice will naturally dominate your larger life.

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.

Tags: physician burnout prevention, Dike Drummond MD, Physician Burnout, Work Life Balance, physician burnout treatment, Physician Coaching

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Physician Burnout - Who Will Save Us

Posted by Dike Drummond MD

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. 

 

Tags: physician burnout prevention, Dike Drummond MD, Physician Burnout, physician stress, Physician Leadership

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Physician Burnout – Pathophysiology and Treatment of Burnout

Posted by Dike Drummond MD

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.

Tags: physician burnout prevention, Physician Burnout, physician burnout treatment, physician burnout pathophysiology

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Time Management is a Myth – Manage This instead

Posted by Dike Drummond MD


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

Tags: Physician Burnout, time management

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Frequent Imposter Syndrome Impairs One in Four US Physicians

Posted by Dike Drummond MD

"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

SYNOPSIS:

The researchers conducted a national survey of roughly 3,000 physicians between the ages of 29 and 65. In the survey, physicians ranked four statements on a 5-point scale, from “not at all” to “very true.” The statements expressed thoughts related to burnout, professional fulfillment, self-valuation and suicide.

Based on the participants’ rankings, the study authors found that 1 in 4 physicians experienced frequent or intense imposter syndrome symptoms. (bolds are mine)

AND Stronger feelings of imposter syndrome bring greater risk of occupational burnout, suicidal thoughts and professional unfulfillment.

 

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.

Tags: Physician Burnout

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Our Physician Wellness Strategy Template

Posted by Dike Drummond MD

Our Quadruple Aim Blueprint Webinar
The Blueprint for your Physician Wellness Strategy
Register for the Complete Webinar Replay Video

We share our 12 year, 40,000 doctor experience preventing physician burnout and our corporate wellness strategy template.

The Webinar is Ideal For:

  • Chief Wellness Officers
  • Wellness Champions
  • C-suite and other Senior Healthcare Leaders
  • All Physicians, Staff and Administrators interested in playing a role in the Wellness Strategy going forward

If you understand WHY

- the health and wellness of your people are critical to the survival of your organization

Let us show you HOW

- to build a proactive organization-wide wellness strategy NOW


Register for the Webinar Replay Here


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Learn How to Design and Deploy your Organization's Wellness Strategy in our Blueprint Webinar

Tags: physician wellness, Physician Burnout, Physician Leadership

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Covid19 Physician Burnout & 6 Phases of Emotional Response to Disaster

Posted by Dike Drummond MD

Did you know that your emotional responses to disaster have a known structure and a logical order you will find comforting?

I knew about the symptoms of physician burnout, Kubler-Ross and her stages, even stages of quitting smoking, but until today I had never been introduced to Zunin and Myers and the 6 Stages of Normal Human Emotional Response to Disaster.

This is a fascinating progression and strikes true for my experience of COVID so far. These stages are intertwined with physician burnout, PTSD and so many other normal and abnormal psychological responses to difficulty and struggle.

Tags: Physician Burnout, Pandemic

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Physician Burnout RANT - Cognitive Ergonomics

Posted by Dike Drummond MD

Stop Physician Burnout - Cognitive Ergonomics is the DUH of the Day

[  RANT ON  ]

Tags: Physician Burnout, cognitive ergonomics

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Is COVID + IDA an Existential Threat to Louisiana Doctors and All Healthcare Staff?

Posted by Dike Drummond MD

What could be worse than COVID 19 Wave Four in a State with a 41% vaccination rate?

How about a Cat 4 Hurricane slapped right across your face at the very same time.

My biggest fear is that this one-two punch will destroy the healthcare delivery system in New Orleans, the state of Louisiana and any other state in IDA's path.

The buildings may remain standing, my concern is the will of the people in the front lines.

Tags: Physician Burnout, Covid19

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Disruptive Physician Toolkit

Posted by Dike Drummond MD

Disruptive Physician Toolkit – how to raise your concerns and avoid being labeled

“Disruptive Physician” is one of the most misused terms in healthcare these days.

Most of the time it is used to silence legitimate concerns from hard working, caring physicians. Even worse is the feminine version of this toxic label - the "B Word".

Once you get either label, it can be very difficult to recover your reputation or work your way back into a position of influence. Being tossed under the bus like this is the most common cause of physicians quitting their current job. 

This whole tragic miscommunication is avoidable 90% of the time, if you learn the rules to communicating with administrators when you are upset. 

In this article let me show you an extremely important skill for any employed physician -- or any physician leader below the level of CEO ...

How to communicate your legitimate concerns up the chain of command and NOT GET LABELED "DISRUPTIVE"

Tags: Physician Burnout, Physician Leadership, disruptive physician toolkit

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