More than half of Americans work while on vacation. For physicians, the proportion is 7 out of 10. We might see these data and think, “Excellent! We are dedicated workers, striving to be our most productive. What’s wrong with that?”
I learned what’s wrong with overwork the hard way. Just three years in, my career as a primary care physician was derailed by job burnout in the late 1990s.
I then spent 20 years highlighting the problems with our healthcare system as a freelancer writer and 6 years coaching women physicians on the brink of burnout to reclaim their energy and time.
Based on my experience, I am convinced that having regular time fully unplugged from work is critical not only to our health but also to our effectiveness at work and our long-term career viability.
Time truly unplugged allows us to fully recharge our brains and our bodies. It allows us to return to work as our best selves—the most productive, compassionate, creative beings we can be.
I guarantee you know the difference between being on your A game and not. And a hard truth about us humans is that it is virtually impossible to be on our A game without true recharging time.
What does it take to achieve true recharging time?
- Be intentional. Prioritize and plan for this time, with some dedicated time “off the grid” each day, with longer spans on weekends and vacations. This will require setting healthy boundaries (which can be uncomfortable at first but is totally learnable) and learning to deal with others’ negative responses.
- Know your WHY. Seeing the tradeoffs in clear terms can help you remain committed to getting real time unplugged. What are the costs to being constantly on alert? What would the benefits be to you, your loved ones, and your employer if you had the time and space to really recharge your battery?
- Create a system. Set a policy with yourself about when you’ll be unavailable and what you’ll do with that time. Make every effort to keep this policy with yourself and to use healthy boundaries to get your need for recharging time met. Block time in your calendar.
- Effectively communicate that system to others. If you are going to be newly unavailable in the evenings or weekends, let your coworkers know. There are tactful ways to say that you’re prioritizing rest and relaxation so you can be your best at your job.
A physician I worked with last year was heading towards a second bout of severe job burnout when we met. After reviewing where she was overextended, she made a few small changes to create space for real unplugged time.
For example, she muted the group text with colleagues when she wasn’t working and stopped coming in for deliveries when she wasn’t on call. She created a morning routine that allowed for a quiet start before dealing with her email inbox. She made a commitment to herself to block time for non-work activities.
Having more time for rest, socializing, exercise, and hobbies allowed her to maintain her energy and access her love for her job again. In fact, with the newfound time and bandwidth she pursued her passion for mountain climbing and recently sent me a photo from the top of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Protecting time to fully unplug allows us to recharge our brains and our bodies. We can then bring our best selves to work. Getting there is possible, with intention and a few key steps.
How happier and more productive might you be with a bit of real unplugged time?
Diane Shannon ’85, MD, MPH, is a former primary care physician with more than 20 years of experience as a professional health care writer and author. She is co-author of Preventing Physician Burnout: Curing the Chaos and Returning Joy to the Practice of Medicine, published in 2016, and has spoken in various forums across the country on the topic of physician burnout and well-being. Today, as a professional coach, Diane helps high-achieving women in all industries reclaim their time for what really matters–becoming the best version of themselves, being fully present for their relationships, and optimizing their personal health. She also helps organizational leaders prevent burnout and retain their workforce. More at dianeshannon.com.