Stimulus

Doctoring Done Well

Hi Friends,

This week, we shared a bonus Stimulus podcast segment: "Don't do what I did for burnout."

You can watch the video here or listen to the podcast here.

It’s a cautionary tale about how I handled burnout the wrong way for many years—until I finally figured it out.

Snapshot: I was stressed and dreading work. The constant overwhelm and staying hours late after every shift only fueled that stress. It was not fun.

I decided to take action—by teaching more.

Wait, what? That doesn't sound like a solid plan, and you'd be right.

Teaching was purpose-driven and incredibly fulfilling, but it didn’t solve the main problem.

Sure, I sometimes felt a little less dread, thanks to the joy teaching brought me. But the underlying issue remained untouched.

Random vs. Strategic

I was randomly throwing ideas against the wall to see what would stick, also making the common mistake of adding something new to an already full plate.

I was deep in the maladaptive habits of highly stressed physicians.

The 4 Habits

As high-level achievers, we tend to respond to burnout in at least one of these four ways:

Work harder. Hard work has solved so much for us, so we think it will solve this too. Instead of removing stressors, we take on even more.

Hope it goes away. We shove burnout into a corner, hoping it’ll disappear.

Numb ourselves. We distract with alcohol, food, social media, or other behaviors.

Take unfocused action. We make changes or decisions without addressing the root cause.

None of these will get the job done.

Operationalizing Burnout Reduction

Reducing burnout requires small, intentional steps toward change.

How do you figure out the steps? List, pick, and test.

List: What is contributing to burnout?

Pick: One thing on that list.

Test: What small experiment can you run to see if you can start moving the needle in the right direction?

Do These Two Things

Burnout isn't a one-size-fits-all experience. Its three main dimensions—cynicism, reduced accomplishment, and emotional exhaustion—can affect us in unique ways.
You might feel the weight of one or be hit hard by all three.
But here's what I've learned and now teach:

First, approach burnout strategically and head-on.

Second, don’t go it alone. Talk to a mentor, coach, or peer. Keeping it bottled up only fuels the fire.

Keep on rocking,

Robbie O

P.S. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this article—just hit reply, and your message will go straight to my inbox.