▸ Find meaning in your work. “This sounds kind of trite, but it is absolutely true,” Dr. Boisaubin said.
“Think back to why you went into medicine and what aspects of it you found most valuable. Most studies suggest that the majority of physicians enjoy their [doctor-] patient relationships most, even more than their technical skills or other achievements.” Just finding the time to spend more than 7 minutes with a patient seems to be refreshing to many physicians, he said.
▸ Tame technology. Learn to turn off the cell phones, beepers, and your personal computer when you're not on call, advised Dr. Richard Swenson, a physician and researcher based in Menomonie, Wis. “The best thing to remember about time-saving technology is that it doesn't save time,” he said. “It compresses time, devours time. Physicians who are on call to the universe 24/7 for their entire lives are not going to survive the experience. We've never had the level of accessibility that we have today. So they're going to have to learn how to find the off switch [and] not [check] e-mail at 2 o'clock in the morning.”
The fallout from this 24/7 mentality is so bad that record numbers of people are checking into hotels in their own hometowns just to get away for the day. “At first, I was really annoyed by this, but then I thought, 'do what you have to do,'” Dr. Swenson said. “For some people, this could be the difference between burnout and survivability: the ability to find a stability zone that you can go to. Maybe you fish. Maybe it's a cabin or some place like that.”
▸ Learn to say no when you're feeling stretched. “Physicians have to have well-defined boundaries,” Dr. Swenson said. “It's not about selfishness; it's about self-care.”
▸ Find time for yourself. Dr. Campbell said his father had no hobbies. However, “I do,” he said. “I like to play the guitar. I have a Harley-Davidson motorcycle that I ride all over the place. I love photography. I'm also active in [my] church.”
Once a week Dr. Boisaubin blocks out about an hour and a half to attend a noontime yoga class near his office. “The idea is to be active and do something … that you enjoy or [that] can produce relaxation for you,” he said.
“These are modest things people can achieve. No one can turn their life around dramatically in a short period of time. I usually say, 'pick one thing and try to stick with it.' If you can't even do that, then you probably need some professional help.”