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Ever find yourself busy all day yet feeling like you've accomplished nothing? You're not alone. As physicians, we face an overwhelming number of interruptions in our day - many of which didn't exist even a few years ago.

What You'll Learn:

• Why constant interruptions are destroying your focus and productivity
• How to set clear, kind boundaries with staff and colleagues
• Why multitasking is actually procrastination in disguise
• Practical strategies to handle both external interruptions and internal distractions

The Interruption Problem

We're bombarded with distractions that our brains aren't designed to handle - from Epic messages popping up during patient visits to constant texts and emails. These interruptions don't just slow us down; they can make patient care unsafe.

When someone interrupts you with a non-urgent question:

• Don't respond immediately
• Use clear, kind language: "I can't answer that right now. Please refer to the clinic policy."
• Remember that each time you allow an interruption, you teach people it's okay to interrupt you

Setting Boundaries

You can take control by:

• Teaching others when you'll respond (not immediately!)
• Setting specific times to check messages and email
• Communicating clear windows when staff can bring questions to you (e.g., "between 12-12:30 when I'm done with morning patients")

Handling Internal Distractions

When you feel bored, frustrated, or low energy during your workday, you likely seek distractions (checking email, social media, grabbing unnecessary snacks). Instead:

• Recognize these feelings as normal
• Take quick, intentional breaks that serve you (deep breathing, jumping jacks, brief colleague interaction)
• Choose the "uphill" task (finishing notes now) over the "downhill" task (checking email)

Remember: Finishing a note immediately after seeing a patient takes minutes, while coming back to it days later can take 10-15 minutes. Those small choices add up to major time savings.

Take Action Now

You are not lazy or broken for struggling with focus. Our human brains seek dopamine and relief from discomfort. But by making different choices about how you handle interruptions and distractions, you can regain control of your day and finally feel accomplished when you leave work.

"I will not be stopped by interruptions anymore outside of medical emergencies. I will not let my brain get disrupted. I will not blame myself or say unkind words to myself. I will just choose to make some different decisions."

Support the show

To learn more about my coaching practice and group offerings, head over to www.healthierforgood.com. I help Physicians and Allied Health Professional women to let go of toxic perfectionist and people-pleasing habits that leave them frustrated and exhausted. If you are ready to learn skills that help you set boundaries and prioritize yourself, without becoming a cynical a-hole, come work with me.

Want to contact me directly?
Email: megan@healthierforgood.com

Follow me on Instagram!
@MeganMeloMD

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Today we talk about the negative internal dialogue that plays in our heads and how it impacts our wellbeing and performance. This episode explores:

• How negative self-talk becomes our default "soundtrack" - especially during challenging moments
• Why our brains are naturally wired for negativity (an evolutionary safety mechanism)
• How high-achieving professionals often internalize harsh critical voices from teachers, coaches, or mentors
• The emotional toll this negativity takes on us and how it affects our actions

We discuss insights from Jon Acuff's book "Soundtracks" and provide practical strategies to transform our internal dialogue:

1. Filter your thoughts through three questions:
   • Is it true?
   • Is it helpful?
   • Is it kind?
2. Understand that negative thoughts aren't something we can just switch off - they're more like a volume dial we can turn down
3. Techniques for reducing negative thoughts:
   • Naming or personifying the negative voice
   • Using grounding techniques to bring yourself to the present moment
   • Creating replacement thoughts or affirmations to reprogram your thinking

I want to emphasize that changing jobs or circumstances won't automatically fix negative thought patterns; we need to actively work on them. By reducing this negative mental chatter, you gain greater mental flexibility, emotional resilience, and the ability to advocate for ourselves.

Join our challenge and practice rewiring your brain with more helpful thoughts. Like now…

Don't forget to rate, review, and share this episode with someone who might benefit from addressing their negative self-talk!

Need more support? Schedule a coaching consultation at https://calendly.com/healthierforgood/coaching-discovery-call

Connect with us:

• Website: healthierforgood.com
• Email: megan@healthierforgood.com
• Instagram: @meganmelomd

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share with a colleague who might benefit!

Support the show

To learn more about my coaching practice and group offerings, head over to www.healthierforgood.com. I help Physicians and Allied Health Professional women to let go of toxic perfectionist and people-pleasing habits that leave them frustrated and exhausted. If you are ready to learn skills that help you set boundaries and prioritize yourself, without becoming a cynical a-hole, come work with me.

Want to contact me directly?
Email: megan@healthierforgood.com

Follow me on Instagram!
@MeganMeloMD

Send us a text

Today we're talking about energy management and why it's our responsibility to manage our own energy levels.

Key Points:

• Two of my physician clients shared calling out sick as weekly wins in coaching sessions – highlighting how we're trained to always put patient care first, often at our own expense
• Energy management is each of our personal responsibility, and no one else can see our energy levels or tank size
• Our energy tanks change throughout life stages (residency vs. parenting young children vs. empty nesting)
• Medicine falsely pretends we all have the same energy capacity
• When we choose to take a sick day when truly needed, we help change the unhealthy culture of medicine

Notable Quotes from Today's Episode:

"We are trained to put ourselves last, always. We are trained to work through, push through, ignore our bodies, ignore anything that we're feeling or experiencing... in order to put patient care first."

"No one can see the energy that we do or don't have. They can't see how big the tank is, they can't see how big the spigot is that's draining."

"Who we are and what we do matters. It matters and it makes a difference. We're going to figure out a way that we can do this and manage our energy in a sustainable way."

Practical Advice for All of Us:

• Let's assess our current life stage and energy capacity realistically
• We need to recognize when our tanks are depleted and take necessary breaks
• We should set proactive boundaries with our teams about our limitations
• We might need to consider whether our practice environments match our energy styles
• Remember that chronically pushing through low energy is unsustainable for all of us

Final Thoughts:

Finding alignment between patient care and self-care isn't mutually exclusive. By being responsible stewards of our own energy, we can create sustainable pathways to continue practicing medicine effectively while honoring our human needs.

Need more support? Schedule a coaching consultation at https://calendly.com/healthierforgood/coaching-discovery-call

Connect with us:

• Website: healthierforgood.com
• Email: megan@healthierforgood.com
• Instagram: @meganmelomd

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share with a colleague who might benefit!

Support the show

To learn more about my coaching practice and group offerings, head over to www.healthierforgood.com. I help Physicians and Allied Health Professional women to let go of toxic perfectionist and people-pleasing habits that leave them frustrated and exhausted. If you are ready to learn skills that help you set boundaries and prioritize yourself, without becoming a cynical a-hole, come work with me.

Want to contact me directly?
Email: megan@healthierforgood.com

Follow me on Instagram!
@MeganMeloMD