Why you can't seem to work less (and what to do about it)

Have you ever noticed how even when you could work less, something stops you?

In this week's episode of Ending Physician Overwhelm, I'm unpacking the hidden beliefs keeping us trapped in overwork mode. As I was recording, I kept thinking about all the stories you've shared with me over the years...

Like the dermatologist who finally blocked off Wednesday afternoons for admin time, only to find herself filling every minute with "just one more" patient consult.

Or the hospitalist who installed that fancy dictation software, then proceeded to edit every note to perfection anyway.

Or my personal favorite - the surgeon who hired an office manager but still insists on personally approving every supply order. (You know who you are! 😉)

Sound familiar? Here's what's really happening:

1. "If I work less, someone else has to work more"

Remember that time your clinical director said "we just don't have the staff" when you asked to reduce your patient load? After hearing that enough times, we start to believe no one else CAN do what we do.

This shows up as:

• Still writing your own refill orders even though your MA is perfectly capable
• Staying two hours after clinic ends to finish notes instead of using a scribe
• Answering non-urgent patient portal messages at 11pm because "it'll just take a minute"

2. "Tools can't replace what I do"

We've all met that physician who proudly declares they "don't trust" the EMR's medication reconciliation feature and insists on doing it manually every time.

This shows up as:

• Refusing to use the dictation feature because it "doesn't get your style right"
• Manually entering data that could be auto-populated
• Printing lab results to review them on paper (I see you!)

3. "I can't ask people to do more themselves"

This is my personal Achilles' heel. Whether it's patients, colleagues, or family, we hesitate to ask others to handle things they're fully capable of managing.

This shows up as:

• Filling out forms for patients that they could complete themselves
• Answering your neighbor's texts about their kid's rash (complete with photos!)
• Making dinner after a 12-hour shift because your perfectly capable spouse/teenager "doesn't know how to cook"

Here's the truth: These mindsets didn't develop overnight, and they're not entirely your fault. Medicine has conditioned us to believe our worth lies in constantly doing more, better, faster.

But what's it costing you?

We’ve always deserved more help and support, but sadly it won’t just appear. We’ll have to ask for it and ACCEPT it when it arrives.

Here's to working less and living more.