How do I know if I’m burned out or just unhappy at work? On the surface, this is a straightforward question. Job burnout is one thing; professional dissatisfaction is another. We have validated survey questions for each, like the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Physician Worklife Survey, and measures that can differentiate burnout from dissatisfaction, like the Professional Fulfillment Index. But I’ve found that when physicians are no longer thriving at work, when they no longer feel the intrinsic rewards of the job, the underlying causes can be unclear at first.
- Burnout: Sometimes the underlying problem is burnout. I’ve learned to listen for certain burnout indicators, phrases like, “I’m irritable at home all the time,” or “I’m feeling more frustrated with little things,” or “I dread going to work.” Together, we start evaluating the severity and what the physician needs to recover. We also look at the underlying drivers and focus on ways to improve what’s changeable.
- The job: Sometimes the problem is the job. Something has changed and it’s no longer a good fit. The change might be a personal shift, like becoming a parent, or an employment shift, like a new boss who lacks leadership skills or the loss of your very efficient medical assistant. We start looking at designing a better future, then see if that means tweaks to your present job or a bigger change.
- Your employer: Sometimes the issue is broader. Perhaps your organization merged with another, and the result is more work, less time, and more layers of decision-makers to deal with. Or maybe external pressures, like cutbacks in research funding, have made productivity goals feel like too much. Together, we pull apart the key drivers, identify your goals, and create a plan for a better future.
- Bias: Sometimes the issue is gender, racial, or other bias within your clinic, department, or organization. Maybe your contributions have been overlooked. Maybe you’ve been skipped over for special projects or promotion. Together, we look at the impact, your options, and your next steps.
The underlying cause of not thriving at work could be one or several of these. For most of the physicians I work with, all four of these are at play to some extent. So differentiating between burnout and being unhappy at work is less important than creating a workable plan for a bright professional future, for a career that is rewarding and sustainable over the long term.
If you’re experiencing either burnout or job dissatisfaction, do something!!! Your precious career, livelihood, and health are at stake.
Diane W. Shannon is a physician, professional coach, author, and health care writer who helps women physicians build influential, sustainable careers without sacrificing their well-being. She can be found at dianeshannon.com.
She brings more than 20 years of expertise in physician burnout, women physician leadership, and building sustainable physician workplaces. After experiencing burnout early in her own primary care career, she dedicated her work to understanding why talented physicians struggle and what it takes for both individuals and organizations to thrive. Drawing on her experience as both a physician and award-winning health care writer, she helps women physicians expand their leadership, navigate career transitions, and avoid burnout, while partnering with health care organizations to retain physicians, develop women leaders, and strengthen workplace culture.
Dr. Shannon is coauthor of Preventing Physician Burnout: Curing the Chaos and Returning Joy to the Practice of Medicine, a TEDx speaker, and cofounder of Lead Your Way Academy. Her writing on burnout, cognitive load, and physician well-being has appeared in Massachusetts Medical Society publications, the American Medical Association’s STEPS Forward toolkit series, and on WBUR. She shares updates on LinkedIn and Instagram.
