With the need to take on more administrative tasks, less patient facing time, frustrations with electronic records and adapting to frequent and complex changes at work—many report having lost the joy they once experienced while practicing. Most of us have some aspects of our job we find draining or unfulfilling. When these aspects fill up an increasing amount of our work day, it sets us up for disappointment and potential burnout.
Focusing on areas over which you have little or no control tends to be frustrating, discouraging and a poor use of time. As Dr. Starla Fitch learned when conducting research for her book “Remedy for Burnout,” we can’t control insurance companies, pharmacology companies or the people who walk through our doors. We can only take a look at our own daily lives and take back some control for how we manage our own activities.1
1. Start by asking yourself some important questions:
2. Take some time to reflect on these questions. It will help to spend time alone — walk the dog, work in the garden, journal, meditate, brainstorm — and discuss with friends, family, a mentor, a leader, a counselor or coach.
3. Consider what steps you can take immediately and what steps you might want to take further down your career path.
4. Develop a strategy for career improvement, with a corresponding timeline for accomplishing items in your plan.
VITAL WorkLife has experienced peer coaches in our organization who are specialized in assisting with career development, the challenges of healthcare and the rigors of medicine. These coaches are all physicians who have years of experience practicing medicine and now are full or part time coaches — most have coaching certification and all are experienced mentors and passionate about assisting others in medicine.You are likely to find simply talking through your concerns and ideas with one of them can help you take steps forward with your own job satisfaction, and help you assume control over the direction of your career. Additionally, peer coaches can assist with the following:
A physician nearing his 60th birthday contacted us to access peer coaching related to his career. He reported a high level of enjoyment of his specialized practice. Although he noticed he didn’t seem to have the same energy he did earlier in his career, he was still easily able to manage a full clinical/surgical practice. What he found increasingly more difficult to handle was his call schedule. He reported lately at the end of each call he found himself considering retirement.
Our peer coach assisted him in making the decision to approach his colleagues and leadership with his observations related to his call schedule. They also made a plan on how to manage the discussion with his team to ensure a positive dialogue and outcome. It so happened he was older than anyone else in the practice, and the team had never addressed this issue in the past. Although this did not lead to an immediate change, the practice did work out a way for staff to drop call scheduling at age 60, and this physician was able to remain in practice.
Learn more about Peer Coaching:
Physician Well Being Resources Members: Contact us today at 877.731.3949 or through the VITAL WorkLife App to schedule an appointment with one of our peer coaches. Most sessions occur telephonically or through a video platform like zoom.