Part 2 “Know Thyself”

In part 1 of making the leap we discussed three causes of burn out; a stagnant career, financial stress, and lack of self care. Before you hang up your stethoscope or begin looking for another clinical job, consider taking a break to reflect.

It is natural to be reactive and look for change, after all we are trained to treat. Before we jump to solutions, I recommend taking 11 consecutive days off from work. I recognize this could further your financial stress since 11 days off might equate to loss of income, but the investment will be worth it.

Why 11 days? It takes the average American 4 days just to stop thinking about work when on vacation. So this should allow a full week to decompress and time to reflect on your career goals. https://swnsdigital.com/us/2018/11/it-takes-4-days-of-vacation-to-actually-unwind-study-finds/

During this time do not travel as the goal is self-exploration not island hopping. I recommend staying put in your home to remove as many new variables from the equation. If you have a family spend time with them. I took our kids to and from school, had lunch with my wife, and took our 3 year old to the park before daycare. I also used this time to read, journal and exercise. I read both fiction and non-fiction. Oh and resist the urge to work or take call.

On day 5 start blocking 2-3 hours a day to journal and reflect. This step is crucial and this is where you will really learn about yourself. A few tips that will help journal effectively:

• Do not type, get a notebook or loose paper and let your hand do the writing. Do not think about what sounds good just write with the intention that nobody will ever read this. Just let your hand go without any expectations and do no worry about it being legible or grammatically correct.
• The first few times just write and see what comes out. It will be both therapeutic and enlightening.
• After the first few days start asking yourself some questions. A few questions below to get you started:
  • Why did I get into medicine and my specialty
  • What do I enjoy
  • What do I not enjoy
  • If I were not a doctor what would I do
  • What would I do if money were not an issue
  • What am I good at and what could I make a living at
  • What do I love about my life, what would I change
  • Am I happy? If not what would make me happy

The goal from this 11 day hiatus is to give yourself a break from the last several years of going 120 mph. It is also to learn about what is important to you so you can course correct. Many of you will come to the conclusion that a break is what you needed. However, a handful of you may realize you need a change, either a new practice setting or a new career. If you are interested in a new career, part 3 will discuss how to make the transition.