Snuffing out burnout: Physicians share their coping strategies

Being a physician in today’s health care system isn’t easy; a recent Medscape survey found that more than half of family physicians report symptoms of burnout.

Physicians Practice, a publication for doctors, recently asked its advisory board how they avoid burnout. Answers varied, but mostly focused on the importance of making time to pursue meaningful hobbies, enjoyable activities and stress-reducing exercises.

Saroj Misra, DO, a family physician in Warren, Michigan, recommended concentrating on small improvements rather than trying to change the system completely.

“Look for incremental successes, not world-changing paradigm shifts,” he told Physicians Practice. “Focus on the landscape, not the geography.”

Denton, Texas, family physician Elizabeth Seymour, MD, said she employs an arsenal of stress-reduction habits to stave off burnout.

“I practice daily meditation and get a massage once a month, get acupuncture once a month, and then sit in a sauna once a month,” she told Physicians Practice. “I do yoga two to three times a week. That’s as much as I can squeeze in my free time to avoid physician burnout.”

Read the full story at Physicians Practice.