Stop chasing joy, beat burnout: '[A] shift in perspective may be a more sustainable and less draining path to genuine well-being'

Just like everyone else, we as physicians want to feel happy. But what if constantly chasing positive emotions is actually leaving us more depleted than fulfilled? 

A new study explores how the relentless effort to seek happiness can backfire, not only increasing unhappiness but wrecking essential self-regulation skills.^[] Researchers found that people who habitually pursue happiness are more likely to experience lapses in self-control and persistence—that is, striving for happiness itself can paradoxically drain the mental energy needed to achieve it.

Physician burnout is not new

While not classified as a medical condition, burnout is included in the WHO’s International Classification of Diseases—marked by exhaustion and low energy levels, increased mental distance from one’s job, and reduced professional efficacy.^[] Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

On Instagram, Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman discussed the new study. Besides the obvious factors such as work overload, a paradox exists for physicians and others who strive to engage in more meaningful work. 

In an interview on the AMA Update podcast, Dr. Paul DeChant—author of a guidebook on preventing physician burnout—described meaningful work as “those opportunities to connect deeply to patients who share with us their hopes and fears, or [to] do procedures that relieve suffering or save lives.”^[] In reality, he explained, “we only spend about a third of our time doing that meaningful work and two-thirds of our time gets wrapped up in administrivia.”

• “Leaning into the parts of my job that I enjoy. For me, the actual caring for patients and helping them be successful given their health and their life situation was really satisfying. The 'old person who lives at home fell, is fine now, but can't go home' admissions went from irritating (when I focused on the conflict with my EM colleague about our different POVs on medical necessity) and instead on learning who's in their family, who can help, how'd we get here, how do we break this holding pattern. This kind of interpersonal stuff makes me feel like I'm actually helping a human being.” — @skt2k21

• “Learn to set and enforce boundaries. Medical education teaches us not to have boundaries, but we need to learn that having boundaries is okay and healthy. Know what you can accomplish and what you can’t change (such as your patient’s choices). … Take some time to reflect on how what you do is pretty awesome.” — @2-travel-is-2-live

This job is exhausting

The implications of these findings extend beyond everyday life and into the high-pressure environments many physicians face. With time constraints, demanding workloads, and emotional exhaustion all at play, the desire to cultivate joy can become yet another task on an already overwhelming to-do list.

 According to the researchers, the chronic effort to seek happiness can erode self-regulation abilities over time, leading to a cycle of reduced well-being. For physicians, this can mean diminished resilience and increased vulnerability to burnout.

The paradox of meaningful work

Dr. Kaufman’s post included an excerpt from an article in PsyPost, which addresses the pursuit of happiness through meaningful work:^[]

The challenge for physicians, then, lies in finding a balance between helping patients in meaningful ways, while also recognizing signs of burnout and protecting your own well-being.