Are you thinking “I want to quit medicine”?
Are you having fantasies about jumping in your car, driving away and never coming back.
Are you feeling jealous of your patients who are sick…. because at least they get to rest.
You don’t have the time or energy to practice self care (and you get frustrated when people even suggest it)
If you said YES to any of these things, this episode of the Life After Medicine podcast is for YOU.
Here’s the deal: you are at a low point of burnout and feeling hopeless and trapped with no way out. There is ONE thing you absolutely need to do that will help you start to recover from burnout AND get some clarity and perspective in your career.
In this solo episode I discuss
- Clear signs that YOU need to take an extended break
- Reasons that we don’t take a break and rationalize “pushing through” (and how to reframe these)
- Tangible steps you can take to get some job protected, extended time off.
- What to actually DO on the break once you take it (this part I read actual pages from my journal when I took my leave of absence during residency)
This episode is part pep talk, part practical guide to actually taking some time off to rest. Listen using the audio player above or head to Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
When you start to think “I want to quit medicine”
First, I want to assure you that thinking “I want to quit medicine” is a very normal thought process. In general this is just a sign that you need to take a break. And by break I mean- take some extended time off work.
Here are some other signs that you need to take a break.
- You are at a low point of burnout. You feel miserable, defeated, disillusioned but also stuck and trapped and like you don’t have a way out.
- You have thoughts and fantasies about running away, changing jobs with random people in service industries (hello Starbucks barista lifestyle!), or getting weirdly sick.
- You feel hopeless.
- You don’t have time or energy for self care. Each day keeps repeating itself and you feel like you don’t have space to breathe.
Reasons you don’t take a break (even though you want and need to)
Yes- I know you are thinking “I want to quit medicine” and that may be the ultimate truth. But what you probably need first, before making any drastic decision is to take some time off!
Here are some reasons that we rationalize not taking a break.
We think taking a break is weak and we worry about how it will this be perceived.
We tell ourselves that “I shouldn’t have to take time off. I should just suck it up and push through.”
We compare ourselves to others. We look around and think that everyone else is doing ok. Other people aren’t needing extended time off. Why should I?
We worry about the consequences of taking time off. Other people will have to pick up my slack.
Basically, we rationalize ourselves out of taking a break. When you do this, what you are really doing is you are NOT advocating for yourself. You are advocating for everyone else and ignoring yourself.
Finding out if the thought “I want to quit medicine” is really true
When you are taking a break you will have time to examine that voice that is saying “I want to quit medicine” to see if it is really true.
Don’t worry about coming up with all the answers or figuring out your whole life. Instead pick a few questions that you want to answer.
The questions I chose were:
- Do I want to be an OBGYN enough to go through the shit storm that is residency?
- Is there a way to be more joyful throughout my training
- Why have I been so unhappy recently? What stories have I been telling myself that have been making me so unhappy and are those stories true?
Set some intentions for how you want to spend your time, but keep it fluid.
Some examples of the intentions I set for myself:
- Practice yoga 5-6x/ week
- Meditate every day
- Check in with my intuition regularly
- Reflect on how I want to contribute to the world and decide if OBGYN is the best avenue for doing that.
Don’t make yourself a huge to-do list of all the projects you want to accomplish or the things you want to get done. Just focus on taking care of yourself and restoring yourself and your soul. Trust that the remainder of the pieces will fall into place.
Remember to listen to the full podcast episode above for even more details about how and why to take an extended break from your medical training.
I hope this was helpful and now, I’d love to hear from you.
Have you been thinking “I want to quit medicine”? Do you think you need an extended break to get some space and perspective before making a decision? What is keeping you from asking for a break?
Comment below and share your experiences!
Links/ Resources
5 Days to Career Clarity
A free mini course to help you figure out your next career steps
https://coachchelsmd.com/clarity/
#Bye Burnout Starter Kit
Identify the 10 most common energy drains that are contributing to your burnout and create an action plan for change.
https://coachchelsmd.com/burnout-recovery-starter-kit/
Life After Medicine FB Group
Connect with a community of like-minded healthcare professionals seeking career change support
https://www.facebook.com/groups/leavemedicine/members
WORK WITH CHELSEA:
Are you ready to STOP feeling so exhausted, figure out your next steps and create a career you enjoy? 1-1 coaching may be exactly what you need to finally look forward to your days, without all the stress and burnout you are currently experiencing. I currently offer two different coaching programs. Head to the links below for more information.
The Career Fulfillment Formula:
https://coachchelsmd.com/careerfulfillmentcoaching/
The Burnout Recovery Blueprint:
https://coachchelsmd.com/burnoutcoaching/
Residency Drop Out:
My #1 Amazon Bestselling e-book about how I quit my medical career to travel the world and work remotely.
https://coachchelsmd.com/book/
Find me on social media for more daily content!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachchelsmd/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChelseaTurgeonMD
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachchelsmd/
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