My stand on this might be a bit controversial for some, but I want to explain in the hope that it can help anyone currently feeling the early signs of burning out.
Let’s be honest: overwhelm and burnout have become way too common in healthcare.
We hear about them so often that they feel like an accepted part of the job. But burnout doesn’t have to be part of your story.
As conversations about mental health and well-being are becoming mainstream, somehow, healthcare practitioners are missing the memo when it comes to their own self-care, and I really want to champion that.
We spend our lives caring for others, so I believe we deserve to be healthy and vital ourselves, living our best lives.
Burnout has become a serious issue in the healthcare industry.
According to the American Medical Association, 63% of physicians report at least one symptom of burnout - and some of those aren't even running their own business 😳. Meanwhile, a Medscape report revealed that 53% of healthcare providers say their burnout is directly tied to their workload.
But despite these staggering numbers, many practice owners continue to shoulder the burden without rethinking their choices.
It reminds me of years ago when I worked at a hospital. Everyone knew smoking was terrible for our health, yet doctors and nurses still gathered at the back door for a smoke on their breaks. 🚬
In the same way today, we all know the importance of mental health and well-being, but many of us, as practice owners, still fail to follow our own advice.
Yes, running a private practice comes with a lot of responsibilities, I get that.
But today, we have access to so many tools that can help reduce our workloads
The list goes on - but hopefully, you get the idea.
So why are we still burning ourselves out?
The truth is, that burnout is not inevitable. With better choices, you can create a business that supports your health, happiness, and patients—it just requires being intentional.
As a private practice owner, it’s easy to feel like you’re not doing enough for your patients or that you’re not working hard enough to create a successful practice. These feelings can make you believe you’re failing, but the reality is different. Burnout happens because of the choices we make.
Whether you’re taking on too much, not setting boundaries, or constantly putting your patients' needs above your own, these are choices that can lead to burnout. If you're running a practice without a crisis in your life, and you're still feeling overwhelmed, it’s time to look at the choices you're making.
Yes of course, from time to time life throws us huge curve balls that knock us off track, and if that is where you are right now, dealing with what I call a life crisis (and these can be chronic as well as acute), please make sure you are getting help and support.
BUT if there is no life crisis, then running a private practice should not be burning you out.
If it is, I want to urge you to consider reflecting on the choices you are currently making in your private practice.
Imagine building a business that serves you as much as it serves your team members and your patients. It's not about working harder or longer; it's about being intentional with your choices.
You get to decide what your practice looks like and how it makes you feel. You can choose to set boundaries that protect your personal time. You can choose to build systems that make your workload more manageable. You can even choose to focus on the patients and services that align with your passion and values.
I want to help you look after your wellbeing and reducing your chances of burning out - with these five simple choice switches.
It's a bit like swapping out ultra processed snacks for healthier options 😀.
Here are five intentional choices that can reduce burnout and help you build a practice that truly serves you:
When you blame outside forces—other people, systems, or processes—you’re surrendering your power to make changes. If the problem is something or someone else you are powerless to change the situation. Taking ownership of your current situation puts you in the driver’s seat.
“You are not a product of your circumstances. You are a product of your decisions.”
Stephen Covey
If you are the cause then you control the change and a different future.
ACTION TO TAKE:
Choose to take ownership – call yourself out each time you hear yourself playing the victim. Change the story and take back control.
Boundaries protect your time, energy, and emotional well-being.
Whether it's limiting after-hours patient appointments or setting time aside for yourself, boundaries are crucial for preventing burnout.
In fact, a study published in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) found that the lack of boundaries and work-life balance significantly contributes to burnout among healthcare professionals .
ACTION TO TAKE:
Choose to set a new boundary
Tell anyone who needs to be aware of the new boundary how it’s going to work, and stick to enforcing that boundary, ruthlessly.
Running a practice involves many tasks, but let's be honest you're not great at them all and not all of them bring joy or fulfillment. Think about the work inside your practice that excites you or those tasks you used to love doing.
What if you could do more of those and less of the ones that sap your joy?
ACTION TO TAKE:
Choose your business tasks
Make a list of the tasks you do that drain you or frustrate you.
Find ways to delegate, automate, or minimize those tasks – there’s someone (or a bot) out there who loves those things!
Then choose to focus on what brings you joy, instead of stretching yourself thin across all the tasks.
Imagine spending your clinical time working only with patients and pathologies that bring you the most satisfaction. The patients you enjoy being with, and the problems you are really great at resolving.
Who are your favorite patients?
What pathologies do you love treating?
Wouldn’t it be amazing if your workdays were filled with just those cases?
ACTION TO TAKE:
Choose your clinical work - Identify the patients and/or pathologies you’d like to see more of and focus your marketing on attracting and filling your diary with more of them.
Choose to fill your diary with patients you truly enjoy working with.
Feeling overwhelmed often comes from having too many things to do or too many steps in a process, trying to do everything the way you've always done it.
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
Albert Einstein
So here's the good news: You own the business so you can change the way you do things 💪🏽.
ACTION TO TAKE:
Choose slick effective systems
Every day for the next month make a list of everything you do.
At the end of the day check the list and ask should/could I :
The aim is to reduce your daily workload so you can focus on what truly matters as the owner of the practice. Doccument your systems so other people can carry out the same tasks in the same way, then you can delegate more 🥳
If any of this resonates with you, it’s time to take action.
Burnout doesn’t have to be part of your story.
You have the power to make intentional choices about how you run your practice.
Ultimately, your practice should serve your life, not the other way around.
Come and join me in my monthly Smart Marketing Workshop, where we'll dive into practical steps to overcome your marketing tech-based roadblocks and help you build your dream practice with less stress, overwhelm, or burnout.
Burnout is not a given. You can choose to make better decisions, be intentional about how you manage your practice, and design a life that works for you.
If you're starting to feel burnout creeping in, don’t accept it as your forever reality. Start making different choices today because you are in control of your practice, your future, and your happiness.
Thank you soooo much for taking the time to stop by my healthcare marketing blog today. I really hope you found value in spending some time here today.
I’d be so grateful if you could spare me just another 5 minutes to share your thoughts or questions in the box at the end of this page.
I'm curious, what are you going to do differently now in your private practice?
Oh, and please use the social share buttons if you think other people you know might benefit from seeing this.
Until next time
Stay Curious
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