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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 shift that can transform how you handle these overwhelming moments.

The Tone That Changes Everything

Picture this: You're facing an impossible situation - maybe it's covering a maternity leave with a year-long waitlist, or managing a patient panel that research shows requires more hours than exist in a day. Your first reaction might be: "It's IMPOSSIBLE!" - that frustrated, overwhelmed, reactive tone that makes your shoulders tense and your stress skyrocket.

But here's what we're going to do instead. We're going to shift that tone from reaction to response:

"It's not possible."

Feel the difference? Your shoulders settle. Your cortisol drops. You've moved from being a victim of circumstances to being someone who can clearly assess reality and make decisions from a place of calm.

The Four-Step Framework: Do, Delegate, Defer, Dump

Once you've settled into "it's not possible," you can move into problem-solving mode. Here's your framework:

DO

Keep this list small. What absolutely must be done by you, and only you? For our maternity leave example, this might be a quick scan of the schedule to identify patients who absolutely need to be seen during that time period.

DELEGATE

What can someone else handle? Yes, we know delegation isn't always easy in our systems, but remember - if you don't delegate it, and it truly can't be done by you, someone else will have to figure it out anyway. Make it their problem to solve, not yours to stress about.

DEFER (Creative Procrastination)

Some things are important but not urgent. Keep a list of these items so they don't take up mental energy, but give yourself permission to put them aside for now. You might come back to them later, or you might realize they weren't that important after all.

DUMP

Yes, you have permission to let some things go completely. That project you people-pleased your way into? That committee work that has no clear timeline or support? Sometimes you need to go back to someone and say, "I agreed to this, but I'm not able to do it anymore."

The Research That Validates Your Reality

Here's something crucial: A 2022 study in Medical Economics found that to properly care for a typical primary care panel, you'd need 26.7 hours per day. With a high-functioning team supporting you? That drops to about 9 hours per day.

Most of us don't have that high-functioning team. Most of us are working in systems that expect us to squeeze more out of skeleton crews while taking on more responsibilitie

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To learn more about my coaching practice and group offerings, head over to www.healthierforgood.com. I help Physicians and Allied Health Professional women to let go of toxic perfectionist and people-pleasing habits that leave them frustrated and exhausted. If you are ready to learn skills that help you set boundaries and prioritize yourself, without becoming a cynical a-hole, come work with me.

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