Episode 118: Pause, Prioritize, Perform - Prevention is more effective than treating burnout!
Welcome to the Sustainable Clinical Medicine Podcast!
In today’s episode, Dr. Sarah Smith sits down with Dr. Judy Wright—family physician, wellness and performance strategist, and passionate advocate for clinician well-being. Dr. Wright shares her own journey through various sectors of medicine, from community health and academia to the insurance industry and corrections, highlighting the personal costs, challenges, and ultimate evolution of her approach to sustainable practice.
Listen as Dr. Wright opens up about the pressures of double-booked schedules, late nights spent charting, and the emotional load that follows physicians out of the clinic. She discusses pivotal moments when she realized the need for boundaries, respect, and realism in her work environment, and how major life changes—like becoming a parent—helped her reframe her priorities.
Dr. Wright offers candid advice for clinicians who feel overwhelmed, sharing practical insights on setting boundaries, advocating for personal needs, and creating those vital pauses during the clinical day. Whether you’re struggling with burnout, searching for ways to make your career more sustainable, or simply want to hear an inspiring story of transformation, this episode is packed with wisdom you won’t want to miss.
Here are 3 key takeaways from this episode:
- Real-Time Documentation is a Game-Changer: Dr. Wright reflected on her early practice of writing notes after hours, leading to burnout and late nights. Switching to real-time documentation (even with patients waiting a bit longer) was transformative, allowing her to finish on time and reclaim personal time.
- Advocacy Matters—Both for Patients and Yourself: Whether she was fighting for patient care in a health insurance setting or setting boundaries with administration about workload and safety, Dr. Wright emphasized the importance of clear, respectful communication and realistic expectations in clinical practice.
- Your Pause is Essential (Not Optional): Dr. Wright’s mantra: “No one is going to give you your pause—you need to create it.” Intentional breaks and boundary-setting aren’t just self-care—they’re vital for sustainability and preventing burnout.
Dr. Judy Wright Bio:
Dr. Judy Wright is a practicing Medical Director, international speaker, and wellness strategist who helps healthcare professionals build sustainable careers without sacrificing their wellbeing.
Following her own cancer diagnosis that forced her to confront burnout, Dr. Wright developed practical frameworks that transform how medical professionals approach self-care and stress management. Drawing from over 20 years of experience in healthcare, she created the Life Balance Blueprint™ methodology, which has been implemented by physicians and nurses across multiple hospital systems. Her signature "pause breaks" approach teaches medical professionals how to integrate micro-recovery moments into even the most demanding clinical environments.
Dr. Wright has presented her evidence-based strategies at the American Academy of Family Physicians and numerous healthcare institutions. As founder of JW Health Consulting, she partners with hospitals and healthcare organizations to create cultures where medical professionals can thrive. Her mission is simple but powerful: healthcare can only deliver exceptional patient care when providers themselves are well.
--------------
Would you like to view a transcript of this episode? Click here
Learn more about our guest: https://www.judywrightmd.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/jw-health-consulting,
https://www.instagram.com/judywrightmd/
**** Charting Champions is a premiere, lifetime access Physician only program that is helping Physicians get home with today's work done. All the proven tools, support and community you need to create time for your life outside of medicine.
Learn more at https://www.chartingcoach.ca
**** Enjoying this podcast? Please share it with someone who would benefit. Also, don’t forget to hit “follow” so you get all the new episodes as soon as they are released.
**** Come hang out with me on Facebook or Instagram. Follow me @chartingcoach to get more practical tools to help you create sustainable clinical medicine in your life.
**** Questions? Comments? Want to share how this podcast has helped you? Shoot me an email at [email protected]. I would love to hear from you.
