In this podcast, we define goals as the desired outcomes that provide direction and purpose in our lives. We delve into the process of reaching goals, highlighting the importance of setting milestones, breaking down objectives, and consistently working towards them. Drawing inspiration from the book "Atomic Habits" by James Clear, we discuss how adopting a process-minded mindset can contribute to greater success. Discover strategies to maintain motivation, including embracing resilience, celebrating progress, and employing the technique of habit stacking. Tune in to learn how to navigate challenges and achieve long-term success while embracing the journey of personal and professional growth.

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Podcast Description

The feeling of being overwhelmed is a common experience for many people, and it can be defined as a state of feeling completely overcome or overpowered by something, such as tasks, responsibilities, or emotions. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including an excessive workload, a lack of control or support, unclear job expectations, poor job fit, and a dysfunctional workplace environment.

From a scientific perspective, feeling overwhelmed is associated with the body's stress response system. When the body perceives a threat or a challenge, it activates the stress response which triggers the release of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones can help us cope with the situation by increasing our heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure, and by sharpening our focus and attention.

However, when stress hormones are constantly activated due to ongoing stressors, such as a heavy workload or a difficult work environment, it can lead to negative effects on our physical and mental health. This can include symptoms such as fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and sleep disturbances. Over time, chronic stress can also lead to more serious health problems such as depression, anxiety, and cardiovascular disease.

To start off, let's define what it means to be overwhelmed. 

Different types of overwhelm can be categorized as follows:

1. Too much of the good things: Sometimes, you have too many desirable tasks and responsibilities, and you mistakenly volunteered to do them all. Your job is challenging but fun, the people you work with are great, and the projects you get offered are all high-impact and worth doing. However, you're just doing too many of them. This abundance of good things can transform into a life-sucking monster that overwhelms you.
2. Too much of the bad things: You can also be overwhelmed by too much negativity at work. You have too many different responsibilities, multiple managers to report to, consolidation of data from various sources, and delivering information and reports to numerous people. Additionally, you might be in a poorly designed work environment or experience a lack of control due to micromanagement or working in isolation.
3. Building something new: This type of overwhelm is slightly different and applies more to small business owners, startups, and entrepreneurs. When you're building something new, there is no established norm to follow and little infrastructure. In such cases, it is crucial to set boundaries, implement a particular version of storytelling that is good enough for now, and take breaks to prevent overworking.
4. Overwhelm due to burnout: Feeling overwhelmed can also be a symptom of burnout. This could be due to a lack of control, unclear job expectations, dysfunctional workplace dynamics, a mismatch in values, overwhelming tasks, a lack of social support, or an imbalance between work and personal life.

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Do you ever feel like you're constantly striving for happiness but still end up feeling unfulfilled? Are you questioning whether the culture of happiness has been deceiving us all along?

The truth is, we can't stay in a state of continuous happiness forever. If our only goal in life is to pursue happiness, we may end up feeling exhausted and empty at the end of the day.

So, what's the solution? It's finding joy outside of ourselves and embracing the balance between positive and negative emotions. This will give us the opportunity to enjoy life rather than just chasing happiness.

So, take a moment to reflect on your patterns and ask yourself if you're chasing happiness or joy. Remember, it's okay to not be happy all the time. What truly matters is finding satisfaction and fulfillment in our lives.

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Psychological safety is defined as a sense that people will not be embarrassed or punished for speaking up. This means that individuals feel free to express their thoughts, concerns, and ideas without fear of negative consequences. In a medical context, psychological safety is crucial because it allows for open communication and collaboration among healthcare professionals, which ultimately leads to better patient care.

Research has shown that psychological safety is associated with numerous benefits, including information sharing, satisfaction, promoting learning behaviours such as seeking information, experiencing and reflecting, engagement, and improved performance. In fact, Amy C. Edmondson, the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School, found in her study on psychological safety and learning behaviour in work that teams with high levels of psychological safety performed better and learned more from their mistakes than teams with low levels of psychological safety.

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In this podcast, we'll discuss the crucial steps to overcome burnout, which is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion that affects individuals in various professions and fields. Healthcare professionals, who often work in high-stress environments, are especially prone to burnout. The three key steps to overcoming burnout are: recognizing and acknowledging your emotions and feelings associated with burnout, examining the underlying thoughts and beliefs contributing to your feelings, and taking control of the situation and asserting your power to make positive changes in your life and work. By implementing these steps and taking action, you can create a healthier and more fulfilling life for yourself. Thank you for tuning in to today's podcast, and remember to prioritize your well-being.

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The podcast discusses burnout, a condition that affects people working in high-stress environments with limited resources. It causes emotional exhaustion, detachment, and cynicism towards work and colleagues, among other symptoms. To prevent burnout, individuals need to adopt strategies that promote autonomy, provide a clear sense of purpose, build strong workplace relationships and connectedness, achieve a sense of personal accomplishment, and improve their overall quality of life. The podcast provides steps to move from overwhelmed and exhausted to confident and balanced, including acknowledging feelings of burnout, identifying the root cause, creating a manageable plan, practicing self-care, setting boundaries and prioritizing time, re-evaluating expectations and priorities, and surrounding oneself with positive and supportive people. The podcast also explores common mistakes in dealing with burnout, such as using temporary fixes, dismissing the emotional and mental impact of burnout, and putting too much emphasis on self-care as the sole solution.

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Burnout is a condition that affects individuals who work in high-stress environments with limited resources. It leads to a disconnect between the expectations and reality of their work and results in symptoms such as emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, detachment, cynicism toward work and colleagues, and reduced sense of personal achievement. Burnout is difficult to recognize and address due to various reasons such as stigma, denial, and avoidance.

The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in a decline in physician wellness, with high rates of burnout, low professional fulfillment, and career dissatisfaction. Burnout has negative impacts on both individual physicians and patient care. It is important to prioritize the well-being of healthcare professionals and provide them with the resources they need to perform their jobs effectively, leading to better outcomes for all stakeholders involved. By fostering a healthy and supportive work environment, health care organizations can improve both patient care and financial success.

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In this episode, we explore the parallels between the process of designing your life and the act of preparing for a drive. Just like how you would check the dashboard of your car to ensure that you have enough gas and that your engine is working before starting your day, it is important to regularly assess where you are in your life and what resources you have available to make sure you are equipped for your journey. Remember, in the process of designing your life, everything starts from the place you are. Without knowing where you currently stand, it is difficult to chart a course toward your goals. Join us as we delve deeper into this topic and explore practical tips on how to design your life to achieve your aspirations!

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