Physician Mom Overwhelm: What Your To-Do List Isn’t Telling You
Overwhelm doesn’t come from your to-do list. It comes from the thoughts you have about it. Here’s what creates it, what it costs you, and how to step out.
Why You’re Still Charting at Night (It’s Not What You Think)
You’ve got a busy work day and week ahead. You’re already tired and it’s only Monday. You’re overbooked, overtired, and overwhelmed. Your notes are still open at night or on the weekends. You tell yourself it’s the system, the EMR, the patient load. While those things do matter … they’re not the whole story. The …
Why You’re Still Overwhelmed at Work and Home (And How to Fix It)
You started the year with big intentions. Maybe you told yourself, This year will be different. I’ll finally get organized, stay on top of my charts, and stop feeling so overwhelmed all the time. But here we are in February, and somehow, nothing has changed. If anything, you feel just as behind, just as stressed, …
Stuck in a Stress Loop? The Surprising Truth About Why Physician Moms Can’t Break Free
Ever feel like you’re living your own version of Groundhog Day? Not the cute furry animal prediction kind, but the Bill Murray movie kind – where the same challenging scenarios keep playing out day after day? As a physician mom, you might be nodding your head right now, thinking about those charts that always seem …
Your Beliefs About Time Are Keeping Your Charts Open
One of my most stressful high school class memories was an AP English class I took my junior year. Each week we did these timed writings where we would get a certain amount of time to write an essay on some topic. As soon as the timer went off, you had to put your pencils …
Working Below Your Degree Is Costing You Precious Time
A typical day in the life of a woman in medicine is filled with numerous decisions about tasks that need to be done. Some of these include: This is not an exhaustive list by any means, but as you can see, a work day in medicine is filled with nonstop decision-making that can take up …
Doing It All Alone Is Costing You Precious Time
If you are a medical professional or speak to a medical professional, a common theme emerges. No matter your specialty or position, most people have experienced doing more with fewer resources. This could mean fewer doctors or mid-levels seeing more patients, or fewer nurses working with more doctors. It could mean fewer ancillary and support …
How To Plan Ahead At Work To Save Time
If you’re a busy clinician like me, it’s easy to overlook small things that can make a big difference in how you manage your workflow during a typical work day. Investing a little time up front can save you a lot of time on the back end. One of the best uses of this planning …
How Losing Focus While Charting Costs You Time
One of the things you can count on in a typical day in medicine is that everything and everyone is vying for your attention. You may have a schedule of patients to see or procedures to perform, but during that time there are numerous potential interruptions that can cause you to lose focus. Patients are …
How Leading Patient Visits Saves Everyone Time
As a woman in medicine, you possess extreme dedication to providing quality healthcare to your patients. However, the demanding nature of your profession often leads to long hours, overflowing inboxes, and open patient charts that seem impossible to close. Failing to lead the visit can contribute to these undesirable results. Letting the patient lead the …