“Doctors’ Happiness Has Not Rebounded as Pandemic Drags On” — that’s the unhappy title of Christine Lehmann, MA, NTP’s January 2023 article in Medscape.
Fewer than half of the physicians surveyed said they were currently somewhat or very happy at work. How does this compare to a study done before the pandemic? Physicians were at 75% back then. This is a significant and very worrying change.
Physicians are overworked, workplaces are understaffed, and doctors feel unsafe. Doctors need time off but don’t feel they can take the time needed because of staffing issues.
Add to this that there is almost a military mentality in the culture of medicine for doctors. When a patient dies, nurses get together, debrief, and hug each other, whereas doctors have another patient to see. The culture of medicine doesn’t support self-compassion for physicians.
And, of course, when you’re this unhappy and burned out at work, your home life is bound to suffer. Only 58% of doctors reported feeling somewhat or very happy outside of work, compared with 84% who felt that way before the pandemic.
For more statistics on physician burnout and unhappiness, I recommend you read the aforementioned Medscape article as well as the Medscape Physician Lifestyle & Happiness Report 2023: Contentment Amid Stress.
The rest of this article is dedicated to what physicians can personally do to reduce burnout and feel happier and more fulfilled at work and home. I will address what healthcare systems can do in another article.
Individual Buffers for Physician Happiness
If you are a physician reading this article, the notion of an overall culture change in the medical field or even at your place of work can seem like a distant and improbable goal. It isn’t present enough. You need help now. Thankfully, there are things that you can begin to put into practice on a personal level that can help to make you happier.
Perfection is the Enemy of Progress
First, it’s essential to recognize if you are a perfectionist, as many doctors are. You are a human being, and it is impossible to be perfect. Doctors are not super-human. We cannot burn the candle at both ends and expect to perform at our highest level.
As physicians, we often base our self-worth and value on being a doctor. We sacrificed and worked so hard to get where we are that being a doctor becomes our identity. When people ask me about myself at work and in my personal life, the first thing I say is, “I’m a doctor.”
After putting so much into becoming a physician, the reality of what we face day-to-day at work can be incredibly disheartening. Many doctors put off having families until later in life and abandoned all other dreams to focus on their careers, and for what? To find yourself in a job that no longer brings you the joy it once did after decades of sacrifice and ever-mounting debt… Well, it’s no wonder so many doctors are depressed, burned out, and unhappy.
Something has got to give, and it cannot be your physical or mental health.
Identify A Dimension of Your Work that is the Most Meaningful To You
According to Dr. Tait D. Shanafelt, when doctors spend 20% or more of their professional effort focused on the dimension of work they find most meaningful — whether it is research, leadership activities, mentorship and teaching, or direct patient care — this creates a buffer and can dramatically lower the risk for burnout.
As physicians struggling with burnout and even possibly depression, it is vitally important for us to advocate for ourselves by communicating with our medical director or department chair. We can initiate the conversation around what we enjoy doing at work, and how we might carve out more dedicated time daily or even create more opportunities for this activity. It is also equally important for leaders to recognize the unique talents among physicians and to better understand what motivates us.
Honing Basic Life Skills
If you still feel the urge to be a perfectionist, try turning that energy toward getting better at basic life skills that are proven to make people happier.
- Spend quality time with family, friends, and your partner. Get good at this! Throw yourself into deepening your relationships.
- Remember the hobbies and passions you had before you went to medical school? Revisit the things that used to light you up, or find a new passion project to devote yourself to outside of medicine.
- Take time off. If the idea of a grand vacation only makes you more tired, then take a staycation at home or travel 2-3 hours away to decompress. Turn off your phone. Don’t answer emails.
- Move your body! There are many ways to move your body to get your heartbeat up and take your mind off work—yoga, dance, walking, kickboxing, climbing, skating, etc. But don’t allow exercise to become another thing you do because you feel you have to check another item off your list. Find activities and movements you love and dive in like a little kid.
- Sleep. It’s so important. It’s HUGE! Get 7-8 hours of sleep every night. And take naps on your days off.
Self-Compassion and a Growth Mindset
Finally, it’s vital to cultivate self-compassion. Perfectionism is often linked with a highly judgmental attitude toward the self. Although healthcare professionals exhibit compassion for others, they don’t give themselves the same gift. Mistakes are blown out of proportion, or physicians feel that they can always do better. Even their best is never enough. This is a recipe for burnout.
Instead of criticizing yourself for not being or doing enough, try to focus on what is going well in your life. So much of the time, we are taught and trained to focus on what needs to change and what isn’t working. When this is all we focus on, we relive the worst parts of our day and lose sight of the bigger perspective.
Example: Instead of focusing on a stressful meeting and missed lunch break, you could instead spend time recalling a satisfying patient encounter where you felt you made a difference and were valued by the patient.
Putting It All Together
As a doctor who has suffered in the past from burnout, I won’t pretend that the above recommendations are easy. If you’re reading this because you’re unhappy or suspect that you may crash from exhaustion soon, it will certainly not be easy. But what’s the alternative?
Take one small brave step toward a healthier life today. Take another one tomorrow. Keep taking one small step every day and watch your life change.
It’s time that doctors make their own health and well-being a priority. I support your journey to true wellness.
Feel free to leave a comment or question below. I’m always happy to hear from you. And please listen to my Hope For Healthcare podcast for ongoing resources and support.
Publications Cited/More Information:
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/987328?reg=1#vp_1
https://www.medscape.com/slideshow/2023-lifestyle-happiness-6015969#1
Executive Leadership and Physician Well-Being: Nine Organizational Strategies to Promote Engagement and Reduce Burnout. Tait Shanafelt, MD and John Noseworthy, MD CEO. May Clinic Proceedings, January 2017.
Image used in this article:
Happy Patient And Doctor Stock photos by Vecteezy