In this episode, Dr Pauline Morris shares common pitfalls that create unsustainable work habits. She also explains why staying in your comfort zone can be detrimental to your performance.  Finally, we learn about self-care.

Episode Highlights

[02:55] Top Career Concerns From Doctors

• Many doctors think that they aren't in a work environment conducive to growth.
• Others are starting to rethink their careers in medicine.

[05:32] Career Counselling in Medicine

• Most physicians are told to separate their personal lives from their professional ones.
• This mindset pushes people to ignore their preferences and personality traits when choosing career paths. 

[09:53] Problems with Work-Life Balance

• Doctors tend to have altruistic personalities and adopt a "patient first" perspective.

[14:12] Three Common Issues

• Many doctors don't know what makes them happy and motivated to work.
• They tend to be perfectionists.
• The medical community looks down on career path changes. 

[17:53] Staying in Your Comfort Zone

• Doctors usually prefer to stay in their comfort zones because they know the expectations.
• They are also concerned with the comfort of their loved ones and the people around them.

[21:28] Don’t Be a Passenger in Your Own Life

• You can change your circumstances, with deliberate action.

[25:09] Career Counselling Tip: Introspect

• What do you enjoy? What are your strengths and values?

[31:15] Career Counselling Tip: Cut Back on Perfectionism

• You can't do everything perfectly; you don’t need to. 

[36:01] Career Counselling Advice on Working with Your Strengths

• Get the perspective of other people to help you understand yourself.
• A career counsellor can improve your career satisfaction.

[40:59] Diversifying Your Career

• Understand why you diversify. 

[44:55] Pauline's Top Three Tips

• Know yourself,  invest in yourself, and take time to align who you are and what you want to do.

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Podcast links

• Check out this You Are Not A Frog episode:
• E67: Bringing Your Best Self to Work with Dr Sarah Goulding
• Ten Coping Strategies for Physicians by Dr Pauline Morris
• Doctors Caring for Doctors
• Connect with Dr Pauline: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

Mentioned in this episode:

Escape the Urgency Trap masterclass
A 90-minute training for doctors and other busy professionals working in high-stress, high-stakes jobs like healthcare.