Key Takeaways:

● Prioritizing self-care is a physician’s best defense against burnout. Given the widespread

and growing prevalence of physician burnout and its significant negative consequences, it's

also essential.

● Physicians with burnout are hampered in their ability to perform well because they are so

exhausted and stressed that they begin to doubt their calling and find it difficult to empathize

with their patients.

● The stigma around mental health and self-care often limits physicians' willingness to seek

help. This just perpetuates the problem.

● Practical self-care tips to defend against physician burnout include:

o Establishing clear boundaries between work, home, and personal activities.

o Prioritizing connections with family and friends.

o Staying organized while letting go of perfectionism.

o Ensuring quality sleep and exercise.

o Maintaining a healthy frame of mind.

o Nourishing the body.

The statistics about physician burnout are alarming—and on the rise. According to AMA’s 2022 National Burnout Benchmarking report, 51% of those polled said they were experiencing burnout–an increase over the previous results. Further, the report indicated that respondents 6-10 years past their training years experienced the highest level of burnout. Physician burnout matters to doctors and their patients because it affects how well they do their jobs and how well they relate to patients. Doctor, professional speaker, and expert on physician burnout, Dike Drummond, notes that burnout contributes to an extensive list of negative consequences that include reduced patient satisfaction, higher rates of medical error and turnover, and increased likelihood of addictions and suicide. Self-care is a doctor’s best defense against physician burnout. This article explores the necessity of self-care and provides helpful tips for incorporating self-care into a physician’s lifestyle and daily routine.

Necessity of Prioritizing Self-Care for Physicians

First of all, prioritizing self-care is essential because physicians with burnout are hampered in their ability to perform their roles well. Physician burnout manifests itself in three key ways: exhaustion, compassion fatigue (a decrease in the ability to empathize with patients), and feelings of inefficacy (self-doubt about whether they are accomplishing anything worthwhile). Physicians dealing with these symptoms simply can’t perform at their best, day in and day out.

Additionally, the stigma around mental health and self-care often limits physicians' willingness to seek help. Doctors do not like to admit they need help and are even more reluctant to seek it, because they fear backlash that can include ridicule, loss of professional opportunities, and—sometimes—loss of employment.  Physicians have only recently begun to understand that prioritizing self-care is not selfish. It’s actually essential for sustaining effectiveness in their professions.

The best defense against physician burnout is to convince the medical community that self-care is critical for physicians to manage stress well and consistently deliver high-quality patient care.

Practical Self-Care Tips Tailored to Physicians

Physicians can benefit from practical self-care tips tailored to their demanding schedules. This list isn’t exhaustive but provides a proactive framework for effective self-care.

• Establish clear boundaries between work, home, and personal activities.

• Schedule specific times to disconnect from work-related tasks and engage in enjoyable activities. Don’t let anything except an actual emergency violate those scheduled boundaries. 

• Share these boundaries with friends and family to help keep you accountable (e.g., after 7 p.m., I won’t be checking my work email or working on notes).

• When possible, use technology to help with your clinical work.

• Remember that being a physician is only one part of your identity. Try not to enmesh your work identity with your self-identity.  

• Prioritize connections with family and friends.

• Strong relationships with family, friends, and colleagues help us feel connected, grounded, and supported. They also offer an important outlet for releasing stress and decompressing. 

• Schedule dedicated family/friend activities, such as weekly dinners, weekend outings, or quality time without work-related distractions.

• Strengthen your support system by utilizing community or peer support groups or services. Look for wellness options available near you.

• Stay organized, but let go of perfectionism.

• Remind yourself that striving for perfection increases stress and wastes time.

• Find an organizational system that works for you, and stick with it. You might prefer the old-school desk calendar or planner book. Others will put everything on their phone or into an online calendar. Choose what works for you, and be diligent.

• Make sure you schedule personal and community events as well as professional obligations.

• Ensure quality sleep and exercise.

• Establish a specific bedtime and create a calming pre-sleep routine to improve sleep quality.

• Incorporate physical activity into your day. Take the steps rather than the elevator. Slip in a short walk at some point each day. Practice quick strengthening or mobility exercises between appointments or while sitting at your desk. 

• Consider a virtual personal trainer. Some work specifically with physicians and understand the profession's particular stresses and demanding schedules.

• Maintain a healthy frame of mind.

• Keep up with hobbies you love, or cultivate new ones that are particularly enjoyable or help you relieve stress. 

• Enjoy fun moments, and don’t forget how to laugh. 

• Practice Gratitude. Maintain a gratitude journal to counteract negative thoughts and feelings of stress and anxiety.

• Incorporate mindfulness and meditation techniques to reduce stress and improve mental health.

• If you have a dog buddy, incorporate mindfulness dog walking.

• Seek out professional help before things become critical. Our experienced psychiatrists at Montenegro & Associates Behavioral Health understand the causes and effects of burnout and can provide expert assistance. 

• Nourish the body:

• Maintain a nutritious, balanced diet and stay hydrated.

• If you find this particularly difficult or stressful, research any local food services that deliver healthful, balanced meals every week.

These incremental adjustments significantly improve overall well-being and the ability to deal with stress, making navigating the demands of a physician’s profession easier. 

Conclusions

Prioritizing self-care is a physician’s best defense against burnout. Given the widespread and growing prevalence of physician burnout, it's also essential. 

Two key factors make prioritizing self-care critically important. First, physicians with burnout are hampered in their ability to perform their roles well. They’re so exhausted that they begin to doubt their calling and find it difficult to empathize with their patients. Second, the stigma around mental health and self-care often limits physicians' willingness to seek help, perpetuating the problem.

To defend against physician burnout, physicians need to prioritize themselves and practice self-care strategies one day at a time. Our professional psychiatrists at Montenegro & Associates Behavioral Health understand the causes and effects of burnout and can provide expert assistance. Click here to schedule an appointment with one of our psychiatrists today.