Burnout.
Burnout as a necessity? Think again!
Resident Hustle App | Burnout: while we can’t always avoid it we can defend against it.
"Burnout is necessary." Have you heard this too?
Let's clear the air: fatigue is a signpost on the journey to the summit, a usually uncomfortable and sometimes painful momentary pause in the quest. But burnout? It's the looming abyss, the quicksand that threatens to engulf our very essence of who we are.
I loathe burnout culture for doctors. It’s an archaic way of developing you heroic humans to achieve the goal a higher standard of helping, healing and curing others.
The wood frog adapts to the freezing cold like few other creatures, not because it wishes to, but because it has to. It is forced, without choice.
But I want more choice for doctors, and I’m sure you do too!
Burnout is often painted as a rite of passage, especially in high-stress fields like medicine. But in truth, it's a tragic and heart afflicting tale. It whispers the stories of talented individuals who gave until there was nothing left to give. Dr. Jonas Salk, the renowned medical researcher, once said, "The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more." Yet, our systems often misinterpret this, pushing professionals until they teeter on the edge of what is far beyond a state of fatigue.
In nature, even the mightiest oak needs water, sunlight, and fertile ground to thrive. It’s not mighty just because it experiences adversity, it’s might because it has the optimal subsistence to grow and move beyond adversity.
Certainly, systemic and organizational changes are paramount, and they are happening (slowly… Grrr!). But while these gears grind slowly, there's an onus on each individual to fortify themselves. There’s a need for YOU(!), the resident hustler, to equip yourself with the optimal subsistence, tools and techniques, that can steer you away from that deadly precipice we call burnout.
We’re not throwing up the white flag of surrender to the culture that breeds burnout by doing so, but we are taking a proactive approach to guard you against soul destroying catastrophe.
So, if you haven’t already done so it’s time to surround yourself with allies, mentors, and resources. Be proactive, because the system, has a voracious appetite.
Ever noticed how rivers carve valleys, not by force, but persistent flow?
So, here's a thought: What if, instead of just pushing through, or while you do in many cases need to push through, you do so by also championing a path which values recovery and regeneration?
You can find out more on that in the regeneration module in the Resident Hustle app.
NOTEWORTHY: Realizing that today’s topic is provocative in that it often sparks rage as much as it can spread sadness, I want to acknowledge those who are experiencing burnout. Sadly, 1 in 2 physicians experience deeply hurtful burnout. I’m certainly not saying we have a cure, but what I will say is that I’m passionate about making things better in medicine, and that often starts with working with doctors to improve their defenses against burnout and/or their ability to bounce back or rebuild after experiencing it. There’s much to be done in medicine to change burnout culture, so let’s be the ones who fuel that fire of transformation.
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