In a field where life-and-death decisions are a daily reality, setting boundaries as a physician can be difficult. Setting boundaries at work is essential to protect physicians’ well-being, prevent physician burnout, and ensure they can continue delivering the highest standard of care. Learning how to say “no” is a skill that needs to be practiced. Here’s a physician’s manual to the art of saying no.
Physicians play an indispensable role in society, dedicating their time and expertise to helping others. However, the very nature of their profession can push them towards overcommitment, highlighting the challenges of setting boundaries as a physician. This constant juggle between professional dedication and personal well-being underscores the importance of boundary-setting.
Learning how to set healthy boundaries at work and mastering how to say “no” as a physician through assertive communication are essential strategies to prevent physician burnout and maintain a sustainable balance in their demanding roles.
Setting boundaries at work as a physician can be especially challenging, given the constant demands of the profession. An imbalance of these boundaries can lead to physician burnout, a widespread issue affecting nearly 44% of US physicians, according to The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
Physician burnout not only impacts physicians’ mental health but is also associated with increased medical errors, reduced patient satisfaction, and compromised care outcomes.
How to set healthy boundaries at work is a topic of increasing importance to prevent physician burnout. Learn more about how to set boundaries as a physician below:
How do you set boundaries as a physician? Give your best tips on how to say “no” in the comment section below.
The Challenges of Setting Boundaries as a Physician
For physicians, setting boundaries at work is uniquely challenging. Healthcare systems demand long shifts, last-minute patient requests, and constant availability, while societal expectations reinforce the idea that physicians should prioritise patients.
Internal struggles, such as guilt or fear of disappointing others, adds another layer of difficulty. Some physicians feel a moral obligation to overextend themselves, believing declining requests might compromise patient care. Today’s culture of overwork fosters physician burnout and can compromise the overall quality of care.
Breaking this cycle starts with understanding how to set healthy boundaries at work as a physician, a skill that safeguards both personal and professional well-being.
A 4-Step Framework for Setting Boundaries at Work
Setting boundaries as a physician is never easy. Follow this 4-step framework* to start setting boundaries at work as a physician and improve your work-life balance.
1. Recognise Your Need to Set Boundaries at Work
Identifying personal needs is the first step in learning how to set healthy boundaries at work. This might involve protecting time for family, managing energy levels during shifts, or ensuring adequate rest between duties.
2. Communicate Your Boundaries as a Physician
Effectively communicating your boundaries at work is key. Share them with your colleagues, supervisors, or patients as necessary. For example, clearly state your limitations in your schedule and workplace to manage expectations, reinforcing your boundaries as a physician benefit everyone.
3. Prepare for Resistance When Setting Boundaries at Work
Understand some people may not respect your boundaries as a physician, even after you’ve communicated them. Changing habits is difficult, and others may resist the change. Be prepared to assert your boundaries at work firmly but respectfully. For example, you might need to decline certain work requests when you have too many tasks on your plate. This is often the toughest part of boundary-setting. Don’t expect to get it perfect right away—continue practising and reinforcing your boundaries as a physician to be able to safeguard your health.
4. Practice Consistently: Preventing Physician Burnout by Setting Boundaries
Understand it’s normal for boundaries to slip, especially in the beginning. The key is consistently practicing setting and enforcing boundaries at work. Over time, you’ll improve at maintaining your boundaries as a physician, and those around you will learn to respect them.
How to Say “No” as a Physician: Assertive Communication
Saying “no” at work can feel particularly daunting in a profession centred around service, but it is essential for avoiding physician burnout and ensuring sustainable work practices. Here are some practical tools to help you say “no” in real-life situations. The art of saying no enables you to manage professional demands while protecting your well-being:
1. Assess Priorities to Set Boundaries at Work
Evaluate your workload before agreeing to requests. This ensures alignment with your priorities, a key step in setting healthy boundaries at work and maintaining focus on essential tasks.
2. Use Assertive Communication to Set Boundaries as a Physician
Adopt assertive communication to maintain professional boundaries. This approach involves expressing thoughts and needs clearly and respectfully, helping avoid conflict and build confidence while setting boundaries as a doctor.
Assertive communication is a cornerstone of setting boundaries as a physician. It is a communication style in which a person expresses their thoughts, feelings, and needs in a clear, direct, and respectful way while also considering the rights and feelings of others.
Books like The Assertiveness Workbook by Randy J. Paterson offer practical tools for assertive communication, helping physicians set healthy boundaries and prevent physician burnout. These skills are essential for achieving a sustainable work-life balance in demanding healthcare environments.
3. Use Scripts to Master the Art of Saying No
Practice using these assertive communication scripts to say no. These tools build confidence and clarity, especially when setting boundaries at work as a physician in high-pressure situations.
The below scripts use assertive communication techniques like the D.E.S.C. (Describe, Express, Specify, Consequence) model to help communicate effectively and maintain professional boundaries. They simplify saying no while reinforcing the importance of healthy workplace boundaries. Use “I” statements to take ownership of your limits, for example:
- “I understand the urgency, but I need to prioritise my existing responsibilities to ensure the best outcomes.”
- “I’m fully booked right now, but I’d be happy to assist at a later time when I have the capacity.”
- “I appreciate the request, but I need to focus on my current workload to maintain quality and efficiency.”
- “Given my current commitments, I’m unable to take this on. However, perhaps another team member could help.”
4. Delegate Work to Prevent Physician Burnout
Redistribute tasks when they exceed your capacity. Mastering the art of saying no and delegating effectively is essential for protecting your mental health and enhancing care delivery as a physician. Dr. Susan Newman, a social psychologist and author, emphasises, “Reshaping, demarcating, and reinforcing your boundaries will reduce frustration over time constraints and diminish anger towards those whose requests consume your time.”
How to Empower Physicians to Set Boundaries at Work Collectively
To normalise setting boundaries at work, senior physicians play a crucial role in demonstrating how to say “no” and how to set healthy boundaries at work. By openly discussing mental health, limiting work hours, and modelling healthy behaviours, they set a positive example. This leadership creates a ripple effect, encouraging younger physicians to embrace similar practices and prioritise their well-being.
Similarly, systemic change through healthy workplace policies that promote work-life balance, such as shorter shifts, adequate time off, and access to mental health support are vital for addressing the challenges of setting boundaries as a physician. These measures not only help prevent physician burnout but also normalise boundary-setting, making it an integral part of professional practice.
Fostering peer support is essential for creating a culture that values setting boundaries at work. Encouraging teamwork and open communication ensures that setting boundaries as a physician becomes a shared responsibility rather than an individual struggle. A supportive environment helps physicians manage their demanding roles and can protect their mental and physical well-being, reducing the risk of physician burnout.
Saying no to certain demands allows you to say yes to things like self-care and maintaining peak performance. Mastering how to set healthy boundaries at work is crucial for preventing physician burnout and sustaining excellence.
Start small. Practice saying no to tasks and prioritise your mental health as much as your patients’ well-being. By mastering how to set healthy boundaries at work, you protect yourself from physician burnout and ensure you can continue to provide exceptional care for many years to come.
What is your go-to strategy for setting boundaries at work as a physician? Share your experiences and tips on how to say “no” and protect physicians’ well-being in the comment section below. We’d love to hear how you prevent physician burnout while delivering exceptional care.
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