Recovery From Physician Burnout
Apr 04, 2025
Are You Dealing With Burnout?
Women are so strong. We are resilient and have thick skin that helps us handle difficult situations with grace and compassion. But this strength, if not cared for, can also put us on a fast track to burnout. As a woman physician, I’ve seen this firsthand in my collogues and in myself.
Maybe you’ve been there... You forget to pause and care for yourself, you put everyone else’s needs above your own well-being because you are strong enough to do it... for a while. But once you reach your limit, that strength gives out and leaves you crashed and empty.
It's time to break this cycle and prioritize your well-being because, in the end, your health and happiness are just as important as any other responsibility you have.
As the old saying goes, you can’t pour from an empty cup (in case you need the reminder, you are the cup here, my friend). There is nothing wrong––and everything right––with making your needs and wellbeing a priority.
Recovering From Physician Burnout Is Possible
What happens when you’ve passed the point of no return and find yourself well behind burnout lines? First, let me encourage you... You are not alone, and recovery from burnout IS possible.
As with most things, the first step toward healing is to acknowledge the problem. When you learn to recognize the signs of burnout, you can take intentional steps toward recovery. All you need is a bit of effort and self-care to reignite your passion, regain a positive mindset, and restore your energy for the work you do. I’m going to share with you three simple steps I give my coaching clients to get them back on the road to recovery.
Take Time to Get Away and Look Inward
Take a step back. Reflect on your goals. Identify the triggers in your life leading to burnout. Understand the emotional and physical toll this all has on you.
When you are running 100 mph, there is no time for self-awareness or reflection. So, you keep running on fumes, getting more and more frustrated when you find yourself unable to keep up. This is why taking time to pause regularly is VITAL to your health (prevention over cure and all that). But pausing is also a vital step to recovery when you’ve missed the signs and let yourself go too far with too little.
My first tip is to take intentional time to silence your notifications, better yet, turn off your phone. In this digital age, you are more connected than ever to the demands being thrown at you from every angle. Constant notifications, communication, and information keep you ON all the time, stopping you from the rest and recovery you so desperately need.
You are not a machine, my friend. You are a person with needs. Taking time to get away and look inward is about more than a vacation. It’s about withdrawing. This looks like detaching from work, cutting off access to devices, and spending intentional time doing things that nourish your soul.
This is about finding the blank space and leaning into the awareness it gives you. Reflect, journal, identify areas you can pull back and how you can add more self-care into your daily life. Free up emotional and mental space to spend time with loved ones. Take time to do something fun for no other reason than simple enjoyment.
I know life as a woman physician is a bit wild at times, so you may not get to leave the real world for a recovery retreat. That is ok. All of these things can be done on a daily basis, in little chunks of time (example: Turn off your phone during dinner, spend 30 minutes in nature, take a bath before bed, set aside 15 minutes in the morning to journal...)
Boundaries to Prevent and Recover from Physician Burnout
Your second step in recovery is to set healthy boundaries. Take breaks throughout the day, exercise, connect with loved ones, and set aside time for mindfulness. Be clear about the lines you draw between work and personal life.
It is difficult to balance work and personal life, but learning to set boundaries around the two is key to recovering from and preventing burnout. Work-life balance is not just a fun catch phrase, it is necessary to your well-being.
Try these ideas for establishing a clear work-life balance:
- Limit your work hours
- Delegate tasks (I know this is hard, but trust me, you actually DON’T have to do it all)
- Say no to extra responsibilities
Boundaries are not easy to set or maintain, especially with all the pressure you feel to be everything to everyone all the time. But let me assure you, they will build a sense of structure and control into your life that will give you more freedom than you may have thought possible.
Find Your People
It is so important to surround yourself with a connected and accessible support system of like-minded individuals.
You may need to join a professional group or network, seek out a mentor or coach, or find colleagues with similar experiences. How ever you have to do it, do not wait to find your people. Connection and support speed up the recovery process and help safeguard you from drifting into burnout in the future.
There is nothing quite like having people around you who just get it. The reassurance, advice, accountability, and compassion found in this kind of community is a MUST for your recovery and long-term well-being. If you aren’t sure where to start looking for a community like this, try my online (off social media) community for women physicians, The Table (get two weeks free here to see if it’s right for you).
Your Recovery Journey Starts Now
No matter how overwhelmed you feel right now, no matter how long you’ve been exhausted and just getting by, you can find your way again. You can feel joy and vitality and wholeness again. It won’t be an easy journey, but it will be worth it.
You’ve got this, my friend!
Need an extra boost to kickstart your recovery from physician burnout? Don’t miss The Brave Enough Women’s CME Conference coming up September 25- 28th! Meet like-minded women who will become allies for life, hear talks that will encourage and empower you, earn CME, and get away to REST and RECOVER at the beautiful Omni Spa and Resort in sunny Scottsdale, Arizona.
Can’t wait to see you there!
Feeling stretched thin? I can show you 10 ways to get back TWO HOURS in your week!
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