How I went from feeling stressed, overwhelmed and overworked as a full-time clinical physician to helping other physicians live a better life and enjoy their work.

In the not-so-distant past, I thought it was normal to work more than 60 hours as an attending physician while I was paid to work for 40 hours a week. I thought that whatever was asked of me to do, I was supposed to say yes, even when it was difficult for me to physically handle it. I thought it was normal to have patients scheduled through my so-called lunch break. Every day. I was supposed to make everyone happy. My well-being did not matter as much as the patients’ or the other staff members’.

While I was working in the overdrive mode, I started to dread. Dread waking up in the morning. Dread the drive to work, because I knew it would be a long day. I would see a full schedule of patients, followed by making phone calls, doing chart reviews, and yes, the never-ending charting. Charting to document the encounter and the plan for a patient took me much longer than the face-to-face time with the patient. I would go home past 7 pm, see my kids before their bedtime, and continue to do my charts. Then the cycle started all over.

During the weekends, I would rather stay home than getting together with my friends. I did not think I could enjoy life. How was I supposed to live like this until I retire? Or, could I actually retire?

Then the Pandemic hit…

The whole world shut down except for the hospitals. Unprecedented number of patients flooded the hospitals in critical conditions. As there were still oncology patients to take care of, I was assigned to remain in the outpatient clinic. For a while, I was only seeing a third to half of my patient load.

Just at that time, I stumbled upon an online physician group, and I was introduced to life coaching.

I had no clue what life coaching was, but hey, I actually had the time to explore. And if it really could make my life better, why not?

Decision was made. I took a big leap of faith, truly invested in myself for the first time, and joined a women physician coaching program.

It was one of the most expensive things I had ever paid for.

Coaching changed my life.

It made sense to me. There was hope. I could feel better. I could manage my time better. I could actually experience life rather than just going through every day in my mundane existence. I started to be thankful, even in the not-so-positive situations.

With coaching, I was able to cut my clinic day by more than 2 hours a day. When I look back, what seemed to be impossible became possible. I can never go back to (charting) where I was.

Another decision made: I joined the life coaching certification program and became a certified life coach.

So many physicians are burned out, even before the pandemic. I believe that every physician deserves a coach. Every physician deserves to be happy, to create life in their own terms, and to live with purpose. Every physician deserves to live their dream. Every physician deserves to be physically and mentally healthy, and families, friends and patients get to experience the best care and relationship out of love, compassion and abundance.

Physician friend, are you ready to feel better, to live in the present, and to enjoy what you do?

You have studied for many years and endured more years of training to get to where you are. Did you expect to feel like you got nowhere? Did you expect that you reached the top of the mountain but only to find that your ideal life was at the desert horizon?

You are here because you want to change. Change requires you to do something different.

Ready to take action on your well-being?

Start by getting the FREE guide to Combating Burnout.