Ending Physician Overwhelm
I'm Megan Melo, board-certified Family and Obesity Medicine Physician and Physician Coach. In this podcast we talk about the many ways that burnout shows up in our lives, and what we can do about it. I'm on a mission to help Physicians take steps towards to heal burnout by unlearning the habits of perfectionism, people-pleasing and limiting beliefs so that we can lead healthier, happier lives. The healthcare system is broken; but you don't have to wait until it's fixed to feel better. I'm here to help. Thank you for tuning in! Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review. Until next time, take care. Connect with me: Website: www.healthierforgood.com Instagram: @MeganMeloMD Email: megan@healthierforgood.com Bookshop.org Book Shop: https://bookshop.org/shop/meganmelo
Episodes
The question that reveals everything about why you're stuck (and how to get unstuck)
Before we dive in, I want you to do something. Right now, finish this sentence: "If I had more help, I'd..." Don't filter it. Don't edit it. Just let your brain complete that thought.
What came up for you? Was it "see more patients" or "finally start that exercise routine"? The answer re...
When you're stuck in a grumpy spiral and can't seem to shake it off
We've all been there - that Sunday afternoon where everything feels irritating, you're snapping at people you love, and you just can't seem to pull yourself out of the funk. This week, I'm sharing the exact process I used to work through my own "petty pity party" and how you can use these same tools when you&apos...
What are you waiting to give yourself permission to do?
Let me guess. You want to leave work on time. Say no to that extra committee. Cut down your FTE. Set an actual boundary with that colleague who dumps last-minute requests on you.
But you're waiting. Waiting for someone in authority to tell you it's okay. Waiting until you've "earned" enough loyalty points. Waiting until you feel expert enou...
Death by a thousand paper cuts.
You know exactly what I'm talking about. Those small, repetitive frustrations that chip away at your energy every single day. The outdated dot phrase you keep meaning to fix. The cluttered workspace that makes you cringe. The workflow that slows you down every. Single. Time.
We tell ourselves these things shouldn't bother us. That we should have figured this out already. But her...
Ever wonder why setting boundaries as a physician feels like trying to learn rocket science? You're brilliant, you've mastered complex medical concepts, yet saying "no" to one more request feels impossibly difficult. Here's the truth: You weren't taught how to set boundaries – you were actively trained to sacrifice yourself for others.
The Car Manual Revelation
Picture this: I'm s...
Welcome back to Ending Physician Overwhelm! As we head into the last week of August 2025 and prepare for back-to-school season, it's time to think about something we do constantly as physicians: learning.
The Evolution of Medical Learning
You've been a professional learner your entire career. Medical school, residency, fellowship, boards, CME requirements - you've mastered the art of absorbing inform...
Last week, we talked about the toxic assumptions that make everything worse when crisis hits. This week, we're diving into what to actually DO instead - because bad things will happen in your medical career, but they don't have to destroy you in the process.
The Framework That Changes Everything
When something goes catastrophically wrong - termination, disciplinary action, devastating outcome - you need a diff...
⚠️ TRIGGER WARNING: This episode discusses challenging topics including job loss, disciplinary actions, and references to physician suicide. While this episode is not about physician suicide specifically, these topics are mentioned in the context of understanding how certain thought patterns can contribute to physician mental health struggles. Please prioritize your wellbeing - if this feels too heavy today, consider ...
The strategic art of dialing friction up and down to protect your sanity
Friction Management?
Friction management is the work of boundaries, and it might just be your secret weapon against overwhelm. In this episode, we dive deep into how technology has reduced friction in ways that are actually making your life harder, and what you can do about it.
The Problem: When "Convenience" Creates Chaos
Epic Chat, T...
How to return to self-care and self-kindness when you're struggling
What’s in This Episode
You're not failing at self-care; you're navigating something unprecedented. As we hit the end of July (yes, summer is flying by!), it's the perfect time to remember how to come back to taking care of yourself when you feel like you've been struggling.
Drawing from Dr. Julie Smith's book "Open When...
Recording live from the Washington coast - because sometimes the best content comes from breaking your own rules.
The Big Question That Changes Everything
Last week we talked about what's NOT possible - all those unrealistic expectations we carry. This week? We're flipping the script. What IS actually possible when you stop following rules that don't serve you?
Breaking the Rules (Starting with M...
When "Impossible" Becomes Your Superpower
You know that feeling when you're drowning in demands that feel completely unrealistic? When you're staring at a schedule that would require 26.7 hours in a 24-hour day? When you're being held responsible for things that are literally impossible for one person to handle?
We've all been there. And today, we're talking about a simple but powerful...
The Epic List You've Been Waiting For: What Women Physicians Are DONE Caring About
Welcome back to the revolution, my friends. This is Part 2 of our "We Do Not Care Club" series, and today we're sharing the crowdsourced, unfiltered, absolutely brilliant list of things that women physicians are officially done caring about.
But first, let's give proper credit where it's due:
This entire movem...
What if you could stop wasting your precious brain energy on things that don't deserve it?
Welcome to a very special edition of Ending Physician Overwhelm, where we're diving deep into the revolutionary concept of the "We Do Not Care Club" – specifically designed for perimenopausal women physicians who are DONE with burning themselves out for a system that doesn't value them.
Shoutout to Melani ...
What You'll Learn
Life doesn't pause for your perfect plans. Whether it's a scary diagnosis, staffing changes, or family emergencies, curveballs are coming. But here's what we don't talk about enough: how to navigate these storms with self-compassion instead of burning yourself out trying to hustle through everything.
In this episode, we're diving deep into four powerful strategies that wil...
Stop Playing Around and Start Making AI Work FOR You
If you're still on the fence about AI tools, or you've tried them and felt frustrated, this episode is for you. We're talking about how to actually use these tools to make your life easier—not add another complicated task to your already overwhelming day.
What We Talk About
- The three non-negotiable rules for using AI tools effectively (and why thinki...
Recorded from the car on a Monday morning because sometimes life doesn't wait for perfect circumstances - and that's exactly the point.
When Crisis Hits Close to Home
This is a different kind of episode. Raw, real, and recorded in the midst of what I'm calling a "semi-urgent medical crisis" in my family. You know the kind - not a code blue emergency, but the agonizing wait for test results, appo...
Welcome to another edition of Ending Physician Overwhelm - this time recorded from the car because life happens, and we roll with it.
The Question That Changes Everything
When we talk about cutting back on work or reducing FTE, we often focus on what we want less of. But here's what we miss: What do we actually want MORE of?
This episode dives deep into a conversation I had with a coaching client who was looking to ...
The Wearable Device That Could Change Everything for Physicians
What if there was a way to get objective, real-time data about how your lifestyle choices are actually affecting your health? Not just a random cortisol test that tells you nothing actionable, but continuous monitoring that could force you to confront the truth about how you're treating your body?
In this special car edition episode, we dive into my mi...
Finding Your Path to Alignment: The Antidote to Physician Burnout
Are you feeling stuck in a perpetual slog, wondering where your passion for medicine went? You're not alone, and there's a powerful principle that can help guide you back to a place of purpose and energy.
In this episode, we explore the concept of alignment—a state of living and making decisions that honors your core values, leverages your uniqu...
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