Tips to prevent physician burnout

 

Tips to prevent physician burnout

Physicians experiencing emotional exhaustion and a reduced sense of accomplishment may be suffering from burnout. Samantha Meltzer-Brody, MD, warns that burnout can lead to worse patient outcomes, an erosion of professional behavior, and relationship difficulties outside of work.
 

Meltzer-Brody, associate professor of psychiatry and director of the Perinatal Psychiatry Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, offers the following five tips to help prevent or reduce physician burnout:
·         Engage in regular exercise and/or other restorative activities
·         Spend time with friends and family
·         Identify the things you can and can’t control at work
·         Monitor your inner emotional energy barometer and know when you are running on empty
·         Look for warning signs of burnout, get professional help when needed