DTD 165
[00:00:00] This is the Drive Time Debrief, episode 165.
Hey guys. Welcome back to the podcast. I'm Amanda. I'm Laura. And I'm Kendra. And today we wanna dive into the importance of cultivating an identity beyond just our role as physicians. So many of us struggle with this. So we all know that our profession demands dedication, [00:01:00] long hours and a constant focus on patient care.
But when we only define ourselves by our work, it can very easily lead to burnout and emotional exhaustion plus. If you're only identifying with yourself as your work when there are inevitable mistakes, it can be devastating. So just want you to remember there was a time in your life that you were not a doctor and you were perfectly amazing without that title.
And just to remember that. Specifically why we are talking about it today is that research does indicate that physicians who maintain a diversified self-concept are more resilient and experience lower burnout rates. So let's talk about it. Okay, so what is identity? Let's define it.
It is not just the white coat we wear, it's actually the sum of our personality attributes, interests, values, roles, culture, and relationships. In other words, it's who we are extending far beyond our job. Titles are what we do. Psychological theories help us unpack this [00:02:00] idea. For instance, Erik Erikson's work on identity formation reminds us that our self-concept develops over time through various life experiences.
More recently, Ryan and Deci's self-determination theory has shown that fulfilling our intrinsic needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness leads to better mental health and overall life satisfaction. And we've done a couple of podcasts on the self-determination theory, so you should check those out too.
It highlights that acting in accordance with one's true self is a cornerstone of mental health. When our identity is narrowly defined by our professional role, we risk creating an imbalance that can negatively affect both our personal and our performance as a physician. Yeah. I think that's so important that we talk about acting in accordance with our true self because I mean, a lot of us don't even know who our true self is.
Yeah. Like what are our values? Like that is one of the first things [00:03:00] that we're often doing with clients is like, well, what do you, what do you really want this life to be about? And then you have a reference point to make decisions about that. It's tough. You have no idea. And I think it contributed a lot to my stuckness.
I mean, I was feeling real stuck because mm-hmm. I had all of my identity and worth wrapped up in my performance as a physician. Well, actually all my roles. Yeah, I was like, like very feeling, feeling very stuck. Yeah. Yeah. Well, yeah. It does make you feel stuck because you can get into this hamster wheel of going to work, going to work, going to work, and losing track of what the meaning of it is and why, why did you even wind up in this job to begin with?
So it is helpful to take a closer look at that. The worst too is when somebody's dedicated their whole lives to this career and then they retire and they don't thrive afterwards. 'cause they've forgotten. Yeah. Like who they, who they are. What do I even like, who am I? Right?
We don't want that for you. No, [00:04:00] never. Or kept up with their friends or, yeah. Or never retired because the thought of not having work or not going to work or not doing this career is, is scary. Like, what, what will I be about then if I retire? So then you don't retire and you drop dead in the ED.
No. Yeah. No, don't, no, I don't want that for you. Don't do that. Don't do that. People, that is so tragic. It's just depressing. So we're not gonna do that. So we love data. Here's a little bit of data for you. Meta-analysis by Tate Shanafelt and colleagues in 2012 found that physicians who engage in activities outside of medicine like a hobby, creative pursuit, social engagement, they tend to experience lower levels of burnout and higher overall satisfaction.
Well, that's not surprising. The trick is though, we have to be intentional and make it happen. Maybe you have a good social secretary, but I don't. You have to make those things happen and [00:05:00] making sure that we have that identity outside of just what medicine is, because things happen.
You know, odds are you're not gonna ever lose your license or the ability to practice medicine, but it, it's not unheard of. And so knowing who you are outside of it is important. And certainly when you retire, like Kendra said. So having a broad identity isn't just about stress relief and avoiding burnout.
It's about building resilience and really being able to live life in a meaningful way that when you are someday on your deathbed, you can look back and say, yes, I did it the way I wanted to do it. Now, nothing goes perfectly but you will know if you are living according to the things that are important to you.
And so when we engage in nonmedical activities, that obviously gives us a chance to recharge and view our lives from different perspectives. I just was talking to a client [00:06:00] yesterday about this situation where we get on the hamster wheel and of going to work, going to work, going to work, and then all this time has passed and he's like, you know, I wanna travel.
And I just, I just haven't been doing it. And so he, that was one of his action items was to schedule three trips, one every three months so that he has those to look forward to. And if we're not doing that with outings with our friends, or with time with our kids, or with our spouse, the time just goes, it goes faster and faster all the time.
I know you guys are all experiencing that too. And that's one of those ways we could be proactive and just make things happen so that we're living according to those values. Multiple studies consistently show that physicians with a rich, multifaceted identity, not only benefit personally, but also enhance their [00:07:00] empathy and effectiveness with patients.
So rich, multifaceted identity. Obviously that can look like a lot of different things, but if you're just going to work, coming home, going to bed, going to work, coming home, going to bed, you're setting yourself up for some unhappiness, which you're probably already experiencing. So what are the benefits of embracing a multifaceted identity?
Well, number one, you have improved work-life balance, and remember, work-life balance doesn't mean that you're spending the most time on the things that are most important to you necessarily. It does mean that you're making time for those things. So if pickleball is your passion and it means more to you than going to the hospital and working.
You're probably not gonna play pickleball more than going to the hospital and working, but you're gonna make time to play pickleball. You're going to be intentional about scheduling it. Same with your relationships, your kids, your spouse, your [00:08:00] friends. Please keep up your friendships because that's one of the things that is easy. So easy to slip away over time. And then we have an empty nest and we retire, and then we're all lonely and sad. We don't want that to happen. So when we nurture hobbies and relationships, we're creating a healthier balance that positively affects both our personal wellbeing and our professional performance.
We show up better when we're happy and when we are rested and when we have been enriched by travel or by fun or by relationships, we are going to show up with better energy and better mental clarity if we do those things. If we're just coming home charting for a few hours, you know, snoring down some food and sleeping and then repeating, we will become what does it say?
All work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy, that's really what will happen to us. It also helps us have enhanced resilience when we [00:09:00] engage in creative or social activities outside of work, we have new outlets to help us work off stress and process difficult things. Emerging evidence even shows that activities like music or art can significantly reduce burnout risk.
And I have a theory about this. Music and art in particular and things that require right brain activity. I personally believe the left brain is the driver of burnout. Because that's where all the negative thinking, that left limbic system is where all the toxic thinking starts, and the right brain is more connected with fun and spontaneity and with spirituality.
And so the more we can do to get over into the right brain, that can be art, it can be rock climbing. Anything that requires you to use both hands and cross the midline helps you use both sides of your brain. So using that right side of your brain is going to help reduce your burnout risk. In fact, I [00:10:00] also have a wish that one day there's art in medical school, like there is almost no right brain stuff happening in medical school. And if there were something to help activate that side of our brains, it would really, I really do think it would help us avoid burnout. And when we feel whole and fulfilled, we are gonna be able to bring more empathy and presence to our patient interactions and be kinder and.
We're gonna find it easier to connect with them and we're gonna be able to, I mean, sometimes when we are so burned out and we haven't done anything to take care of ourselves outside of medicine, like there's no empathy to be had because we are struggling. So we take care of ourselves in this way and provide this multifaceted identity for ourselves.
It's going to improve everything including the patient care we provide. You bring up a good point about the right brain. Jill Bolte Taylor in her book Whole Brain Living [00:11:00] suggests that your sense of ego, your selfness is in the left side of the brain. And I wonder, since the right side of the brain is more connectedness, more one with the universe as it were, I wonder if doing more of those right brain activities would specifically be targeted towards getting you back connected, getting you back,
in a better, less self-critical, less isolated frame of mind. That's that, that would be an interesting, some resident study. There's a research study. Any residents who are listening. That would be a great one. Be fascinating. Yeah. Art therapy as an intervention for physician burnout. 15 minutes.
How fun would that be? Yeah, if you're getting escalated. If you're getting activated, go to the art room. Yeah. Finger paint. I mean, yeah, I don't know. Could be fun. Something, man, this job would be a lot more fun if that was, yeah. Okay. So we want you to be able to take something to, like, actually do, do something for yourself with all of these podcasts.
So how do you cultivate a broader [00:12:00] identity? Let's, let's try some things. So first of all, identify some things that you like. Start with small, manageable activities that spark your interest. Maybe you've always wanted to learn how to strum a guitar, or maybe you haven't let yourself read just for pleasure in forever.
Why not just do it? Or maybe you want to pick up a new sport. Might I suggest pickleball if and don't tell me it's not a sport. I was panting pretty hard the other day. These pursuits gradually become a more meaningful part of your routine. Okay, so just like noticing what you like, that's nonmedical.
That's step one. Number two, connections are always gonna be good. Non-toxic connections are always gonna be healing. So foster more of those. Make more time to build relationships outside of the hospital. Even your hospital buddies. See if you can take it outside of work to go have a coffee or go watch a movie together, or have a book club or something like that.
There's something about being in the zone at [00:13:00] work that just isn't quite as. You're just not in the frame of mind to have those deeper social connections. So if you do find a potential buddy, really? Do try to take it outside of the hospital. Luckily, working in a hospital, you're gonna have lots of fish for which to cast your rod to reel something in.
But then take it, take it outside of the walls of the hospital, join community groups or volunteer. That's always easy because then you're finding like-minded people. You already have something in common. And then just any of these, sort of social connections can give you experiences to refresh your perspective and reinforce that you're more than just a physician.
Oh yeah. I'm also a friend. Oh yeah. I'm also a lover of gardening or whatever it is. Number three. Practice mindfulness and reflection. Consider journaling, meditation, or even coaching or therapy in your routine. Just reflecting on things can help you rediscover personal values and interests that you might have been, that you might have [00:14:00] just sidelined because you're in the rat race.
Taking time to just reflect can be very useful. And then we don't ever want you to stop, even though it's slow moving, a lot of times. Don't ever stop advocating for institutional support. One super fun thing about coaching people from all over the country and in different countries is that there are some awful places.
There are some really good places. This week alone, I've learned of two places. One that you have, you have an optional sabbatical. So like one of our clients that was what we were talking about, what's he gonna do during his two month sabbatical that he has never taken before, but he is going to. But then there was another group that our client was telling us about where it's built in every, I can't remember if he said 17th month or 19th month.
You have a month off. That's awesome. You don't work. Like that is wild to me. And like what a, what a beautiful predetermined time off to have to practice who you are outside of work. I bet. Like I gotta find somebody that [00:15:00] works at that particular place, because that sounds, and that group forced you to take the month off.
Isn't that wild? Yeah. Like that's, I was so excited. But anyway, it's almost like...
I was like, what? You sure? Yeah, he was sure. Yeah, so please do continue to push for workplace initiatives, maybe even sabbaticals. I didn't even know that that was a thing, but apparently it is at places. So why not your shop too? We do believe that it's an ethical mandate to create an environment that, that values the whole person, not just the professional role.
Enough is enough. It, the way that we've been doing it is not working.
So, yeah, to sum up, being a whole physician means embracing every facet of who we are. It is very easy to get lost. This profession demands a lot of time and energy, and it's no doubt, very easy to just get fully sucked in and make it all about what you do. It does, it requires a lot of time and energy, so that's normal.
We, we are in the judgment free zone. We are [00:16:00] not condemning or anything by, by bringing this up. We're just saying how much better things could go if you recognize it's just not how. That it, that it is not just all you are and the evidence is clear. We've stated many times during this podcast that a multifaceted identity reduces burnout, enhances mental health, and ultimately we show up better for patients.
So I encourage each of you to reflect on your own interests beyond medicine. Ask yourself, what passion have I set aside that could enrich my life? And step two is, how can I integrate it today? Like what small step could you take today to start integrating it into your daily life? Let's commit to integrating at least one non-medical activity into our lives this week.
And I've already done that. I mean, I am part of the Pickleball Posse, and so it is integrated already on the regular. And it makes me a better person. Thank you for joining us today. Remembering, nurturing our whole self isn't a [00:17:00] luxury. It's essential for our wellbeing and our ability to care for others.
If you want help, we offer a free physician wellness triage session at the link in the show notes. So scroll down and check it out. Also, check out our free video, how to Crush Physician Burnout for Good without cutting back hours, quitting medicine, or sucking it up in silence. Until next time you are whole.
You are a gift to medicine and the work you do matters.
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