How Perfectionism and Shame Lead to Stress and Burnout

Why is it that doctors work themselves to the point of burnout and stress and making themselves sick? In a system that seems to demand perfectionism in healthcare workers, medical professionals aim for impossibly high standards. What happens when they can't meet the standards they set for themselves?Dr Sandy Miles joins us in this episode to explore the concept of shame and how we respond to it. She also explains why shame breeds perfectionism in healthcare workers. After explaining the concept of shame, we also share practical, actionable tips to overcome shame and have a healthier response to it. If you want to know how shame fosters perfectionism in healthcare workers, stay tuned to this episode.Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:What exactly is shame, and how does it manifest in our daily lives? Learn common responses to shame and how to overcome it healthily. Understand why shame causes perfectionism in healthcare workers.Episode Highlights[03:31] Introducing Sandy[05:21] Defining Shame[12:28] How Identities Are Tied to Shame[15:39] 3 Ways People Respond to Shame[18:07] How to Respond to Shame[27:19] Shame and Perfectionism in Healthcare Workers[32:17] How to Overcome Maladaptive Perfectionism[36:49] What You Can Do Today[44:51] Recognize What You Can Control[47:35] Sandy’s AdviceResourcesTake an off-grid You’re Not a Frog retreat with us this coming May. Get a special discount when you book before February 10th.  Can’t make it in May? Dr Sandy recommends the Acacia Retreat in September. You're Not a Frog Episode 92: How to Avoid Becoming the Second Victim with Dr Caraline Wright & Dr Lizzie SweetingThis is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor by Adam KayBooks and videos from Brene BrownShame and MedicineShame in Medicine: The Lost Forest, a 10-part documentary podcast produced by The Nocturnists   THRIVE Weekly PlannerConnect with Sandy: Twitter |

Om Podcasten

The podcast for GPs, hospital doctors and other professionals in high-stakes, high-stress jobs who want to thrive rather than just survive. You studied for years, you’re really good at what you do but you’ve noticed that you’re starting to feel overwhelmed, overworked and under-resourced. You may be comparing yourself to a frog in boiling water - the heat has built up so slowly that you haven’t noticed the extra-long days becoming the norm. You may feel on the edge and trapped in the very job that you’ve spent years working towards. Here’s the problem, frogs only have two choices; stay and be boiled alive, or jump out of the pan. The good news is that you are not a frog. You have many more choices than you think you do. You don’t have to quit, and nor should stress and burnout be inevitable. It is possible to be master of your own destiny, to craft your work life and career so that you can thrive even in the most difficult of situations. There are simple changes you can make which will make a huge difference to your stress levels and help you enjoy life again. Your host is Dr Rachel Morris, GP turned Executive Coach and Specialist in Resilience at Work who knows what it’s like to feel like an exhausted frog. In the podcast, she’ll be talking to friends, colleagues and experts all who have an interesting take on resilience for clever people in high-stakes, high-stress jobs so that together you can take back control to beat stress and burnout, survive and thrive.