Holiday stress-busting strategies for physicians
Key Takeaways
The perfect storm of family drama, rich foods, festive alcoholic beverages, and precariously positioned decorations often increase the demand for medical services around the holidays. While doctors can count on long hours and missing some family fun this time of year, there are myriad strategies to manage seasonal pressures at work and home.
Doctors are under immense stress in general, according to Dr. Rodger Goddard, chief psychologist at Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth, NJ. Around 45% of primary care physicians say they want to quit their jobs, and medical students have 15% to 50% higher rates of depression than the general population.
“That stress gets magnified over the holidays,” Dr. Goddard said. “Statistically, doctors experience 15 times more burnout than other professions, and one-third are in a state of burnout at any particular time. We're almost always working—there really is no holiday or break, because we're responsible for people's lives.”
Beat Holiday Stress with The Big Four of Wellness
Doctors tend to forget their own physical and emotional needs as is, Dr. Goddard said, but the problem amplifies under the holiday schedule crunch and increased patient demands.
“Very often for myself and other doctors, our schedules are hectic and not in our control. It's hard for us to find time for renewal and refueling,” he explained.
Renewal is not only possible, but it is essential to ensure success at home and in the workplace. Dr. Goddard recommended that doctors build skills in the four key areas of life: body, mind, heart, and soul.
“A physician’s whole mindset and training is about saving and healing other people, and very often they are not set up to think about what they need and want. A car can only run so far if we don't bring it into the shop for maintenance,” Dr. Goddard added.
For area number one—the body—doctors can begin maintenance by running a diagnostic: Does anything hurt? If so, what can be done to heal? Avoiding the seasonal temptations of lounging and overindulgence in food and drink bolsters these efforts.
To improve mental well-being, Dr. Goddard recommended focusing on problem-solving vs problem-dwelling.
“This time of year is a great time to take stock of the biggest problems we're facing and ask ourselves what we can do to solve those issues,” he said. “As for the heart—our relationships and our emotions—I suggest for myself and other people to get the support we need and ask for what we need from others.”
Soul can be broken into two parts, Dr. Goddard explained. The first is the inner-self, which requires nurturing and self-esteem. Spirituality is the second, and the holidays are the perfect time to revisit personal values and mission.
“We're all on a life journey, and this is a great time to remind ourselves of our meaning and purpose in life,” he said. “Beyond New Year's resolutions, what are my key principles to live by and make the world lighter and brighter?”
Holiday Stress-Busting Techniques from Doctors
For Dr. Matt Letizia, a practicing emergency room specialist at Trinitas and the father of 7-year-old twins, choosing between working Christmas day and Christmas Eve is an annual necessary evil.
“I can’t have my kids excited for Santa on Christmas Eve and miss that,” he said. “Especially at their age. I think that would kill me.”
Dr. Letizia, who also acts as medical director for Elizabeth and Union Fire Departments and EMS, said part of being a doctor is accepting that the emergency department never closes. People get sick and hurt, even when the rest of the world is sleeping or at home with their families.
While Dr. Letizia appreciates the talents and education he was given to help others and feels a strong command to service, being away from his family is easily the worst part of his job, he added. There is no substitute for quality time spent with his family, although looking at photos and texting his wife during his downtime in the ER helps.
“Sometimes you see a baby being born, sometimes you find someone dead, sometimes you save a life with your hands. But other times, something catches you completely off guard and reminds you why you're there,” Dr. Letizia said. “Maybe it's because I see [death] a lot in the ER—these people who died too young. You have to realize there needs to be a balance. Be home and enjoy what you have.”
Dr. Michael Zaboski, an internal medicine specialist at Trinitas, can relate to the strain of juggling young children and a chaotic work schedule. With three adult children, a 3-year-old, and the challenge of being the primary cook at home, holidays can get a little dicey.
“Even though you may rank your family as the most important, the responsibilities of your job override that,” he said. “You have to make sacrifices.”
Dr. Zaboski—although mindful of the moments he misses while at work—manages the stress that accompanies those sacrifices by drawing energy from helping his patients. Service begets service, he said, which can be a powerful force for doctors facing adversity.
Quality over quantity is another tool that Dr. Zaboski employs to strike a balance between work and family during the holidays. Remaining present and engaged helps to reinforce positive, lasting memories that shape family traditions.
“When I'm with my family, I give them a lot, and I have a lot of knowledge and experience they can benefit from,” Dr. Zaboski added . “I also feel that by leading by example and being good at what I do, my kids see that and they're proud.”