Ending Physician Overwhelm

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

August 5, 2025 39 mins

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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...

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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...

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July 22, 2025 25 mins

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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...

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July 15, 2025 27 mins

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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...

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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...

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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 ...

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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...

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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...
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June 10, 2025 13 mins

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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...

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June 3, 2025 25 mins

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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 ...

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May 27, 2025 24 mins

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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...

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May 20, 2025 26 mins

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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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May 13, 2025 32 mins

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Rules? Who Me?

Hello my friends! Today we're diving into those self-imposed rules that might be governing your life and keeping you stuck in patterns of overwhelm. From the seemingly trivial (must shave legs before wearing shorts) to the deeply consequential (always putting yourself last), these internalized rules often lead us to burnout, exhaustion, and disconnection from what truly matters.

Key Takeaways

  • Iden...
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Ever find yourself busy all day yet feeling like you've accomplished nothing? You're not alone. As physicians, we face an overwhelming number of interruptions in our day - many of which didn't exist even a few years ago.

What You'll Learn:

  • Why constant interruptions are destroying your focus and productivity
  • How to set clear, kind boundaries with staff and colleagues
  • Why multitasking is actually pr...
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April 29, 2025 31 mins

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Today we talk about the negative internal dialogue that plays in our heads and how it impacts our wellbeing and performance. This episode explores:

  • How negative self-talk becomes our default "soundtrack" - especially during challenging moments
  • Why our brains are naturally wired for negativity (an evolutionary safety mechanism)
  • How high-achieving professionals often internalize harsh critical voices from tea...
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April 22, 2025 39 mins

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Today we're talking about energy management and why it's our responsibility to manage our own energy levels.

Key Points:

  • Two of my physician clients shared calling out sick as weekly wins in coaching sessions – highlighting how we're trained to always put patient care first, often at our own expense
  • Energy management is each of our personal responsibility, and no one else can see our energy levels or t...
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April 15, 2025 30 mins

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Today we talk about the concept of "unsubscribing" – not just from email newsletters, but from the thoughts, beliefs, and habits that no longer serve us as physicians.

Episode Highlights:

  • We celebrate 3 years of "Ending Physician Overwhelm" (launched March 2022)
  • Unsubscribe from harmful ideas and beliefs:
    • The belief that we should be able to function in a broken healthcare system without suppor...
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April 8, 2025 33 mins

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This week, we talk about the significant changes happening in medicine that aren't likely to reverse, and how we as physicians need to adapt to navigate these shifts effectively.

Episode Highlights:

  • The Reality of Job Insecurity in Medicine
    1. Stories of experienced physicians being let go with little warning
    2. How healthcare organizations are prioritizing budget over experience and loyalty
    3. Why the long-term stabil...
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April 1, 2025 33 mins

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In this episode, we explore the neurotransmitters that make up the acronym DOSE - Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, and Epinephrine - and how they affect our daily lives and well-being.


Episode Highlights:

  • Dopamine: The Pleasure & Reward Neurotransmitter
    • Evolved to reinforce behaviors that help us survive as individuals and as a species
    • Modern hijacking through engineered experiences (processed foods, social...
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March 25, 2025 27 mins

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I explore how to find and create meaning in both our professional and personal lives, especially when facing burnout and challenges in medicine.

Episode Highlights

  • Medicine was never meant to be easy, but the additional challenges we face today make self-care more important than ever
  • When experiencing burnout, we often lose our sense of meaning and purpose in work
  • Creating meaning is a challenge of adulthood that requ...
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