Episode 147: Surviving the Clinical Day - Neurodiverse Strategies Boost Physician Wellbeing
Welcome to another episode of the Sustainable Clinical Medicine Podcast!
In this episode, Dr. Sarah Smith sits down with Dr. Cheryl Chase, a clinical psychologist and expert in attention and learning disorders, to explore the unique challenges clinicians face in making their workday more sustainable. Dr. Chase shares her journey from working with children to advising physicians and other adults, highlighting practical strategies for maintaining executive function, managing overwhelming administrative tasks like charting, and coping with burnout and decision fatigue.
The conversation dives deep into how both neurodiverse and neurotypical clinicians can adopt simple, habit-based solutions to tackle the ever-growing workload, find ways to set boundaries, and build systems that truly support wellbeing—inside and outside the clinic. Whether it's accepting that perfection is unattainable, learning to disappoint others when necessary, or using visual tools and external reminders to stay organized, Dr. Chase brings relatable wisdom and actionable advice to help listeners preserve their energy and get home with their work done.
If you’ve ever wondered how to start tackling that painful chart backlog, keep your executive function sharp throughout the day, or simply give yourself more grace at work, you’re in the right place. Get ready for a thoughtful, empowering discussion packed with ideas you can put into practice today.
Here are 3 key takeaways from this episode:
- Habits Beat Willpower: Whether it's charting, managing emails, or tackling that overwhelming to-do pile, consistent habits and small rewards can make all the difference. Set up simple, repeatable systems to take the edge off tasks you hate—pair a reward with every chart completed, or celebrate reaching micro-goals.
- Radical Acceptance & Boundaries: It's okay (and necessary) to get comfortable disappointing others. You can't (and shouldn't) say yes to everything—prioritize your energy for the things and people that matter most. Set clear boundaries for email, patient messages, and team interruptions.
- Support Your Executive Function: Fatigue and burnout are real. Proactively support your brainpower with quality sleep, mindful breaks, minimal task switching, and templates to reduce decision fatigue. Even short, timed bursts of focused work can move you forward!
Meet Dr. Cheryl Chase:
Dr. Cheryl Chase is a licensed clinical psychologist based in Independence, Ohio (a suburb of Cleveland), specializing in ADHD, learning disorders, and emotional challenges across the lifespan. Through PSYPACT, she is able to serve clients in over 42 states in the US. She’s also an international speaker and consultant, known for making complex topics like executive function and dyslexia both relatable and actionable. Whether she’s working with families, schools, or businesses, Dr. Chase blends science with real-world strategies—and a dose of humor.
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