Honoring Doctors’ Well-Being: Strategies for Thriving in Medicine
- Linda Roszak Burton
- Mar 26
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 1
National Doctors’ Day is a time to celebrate and appreciate the tireless dedication of physicians. Yet, beyond gratitude, it is also a moment to reflect on an urgent issue: doctors’ well-being. The increasing demands of medicine—long hours, administrative burdens and emotional strain—often leave physicians exhausted and burned out.
This year, we aim to support physicians by offering practical tools to enhance their well-being. Drawing from positive psychology, neuroscience and resilience research, here are some practical strategies for physicians to cultivate greater well-being with Accordant’s ethos: Awakening Virtues in Health Care approach.
Reflect on the Purpose of Your Well-Being
First and foremost, it would be helpful to reflect on the purpose of your well-being beyond the obvious benefits. Physicians who embrace medicine as a calling are more likely to report high levels of meaning in life, life satisfaction and commitment to direct patient care.¹
Tip: Consider what purpose your well-being serves. Who benefits? How do they benefit? What is the reciprocal benefit to you? Keep a journal of meaningful patient encounters and reflect on how your well-being supports your calling.
Engage in Purposeful Activity
Engaging in activities that align with personal and professional purpose can create a renewed sense of fulfillment. Research suggests that physicians who dedicate time to mentorship, teaching or volunteer work experience increased job satisfaction and reduced burnout.
Tip: Create an activity calendar to identify activities that reignite your passion for medicine, such as mentoring a medical student, participating in community outreach or engaging in medical advocacy. Even small acts that connect you to your purpose can bring renewed energy and meaning.
Engaging in activities that align with personal and professional purpose can create a renewed sense of fulfillment.
Strengthen Social Connections
Loneliness and isolation contribute significantly to physician burnout. Research emphasizes social connectedness is a basic human need that, when lost, leads to burnout. In one study, physicians who experienced a greater feeling of loneliness compared with those who experienced a lesser feeling of loneliness were more likely to report at least one manifestation of burnout.²
Tip: While creating your activity calendar, add placeholders for setting meaningful conversations with colleagues, seeking mentorship or joining a professional network that fosters peer support and connection.
Set Boundaries for Work-Life Balance
Work-life balance often feels elusive for physicians, yet setting small, intentional boundaries between work and personal life can make a significant impact in safeguarding well-being.³ Start small and set boundaries ahead of time to disengage with work-related communications during personal time. Of course, there are on-call situations and emergencies. Set a goal for one day of the week to test this work-life boundary, mitigate stress and enhance job satisfaction.
Tip: Schedule non-negotiable self-care activities, such as exercise, hobbies or time with loved ones, and be mindful of overextending yourself.
Cultivate Micro-Moments of Gratitude
Research from the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley suggests that practicing gratitude improves resilience, reduces stress and enhances overall well-being.⁴ Even in high-pressure environments, pausing to acknowledge small positive moments—a meaningful patient interaction, a supportive colleague or a moment of personal achievement—can rewire the brain toward greater positivity.
It can be challenging to feel grateful when the demands on physicians are pervasive. And yet, continually dwelling on what is going wrong adds to health issues in the long run. Think of gratitude as renewable energy. Practicing gratitude activates the parasympathetic nervous system, away from flight-fright-freeze, to calm mindfulness, helping us to slow down and conserve energy.
Tip: Refer to Accordant’s Practicing Gratitude worksheet to help you focus and engage in micro-moments of gratitude.
Closing Thoughts
Physicians dedicate their lives to healing others, yet their well-being is often neglected. As we celebrate National Doctors’ Day, we hope to support your well-being by offering these helpful strategies. Starting with small, intentional changes will create upward spirals of greater well-being where physicians don’t just survive but truly thrive.
To every physician reading this: Your work is invaluable, and your well-being matters. Take this week as a reminder to care for yourself as much as you care for others.
Want more? Take some time to complete the National Doctors’ Day: Honoring Physician Well-Being, Ethos and Gratitude worksheet, which offers research insights into how physicians can take proactive steps to enhance their well-being.
About the Author: Linda Roszak Burton BS, BBC, ACC, is a Principal Consultant and a certified executive coach and health and well-being coach with Accordant. She is the author of Gratitude Heals: A Journal for Inspiration and Guidance. Her TEDx Talk on the Power of Gratitude was released in 2022. You can reach her at Linda@AccordantHealth.com and through LinkedIn.
