Clinician well-being

Clinician Well-Being

Self-Care Battling Mental Health & Burnout

Stress keeps you going. Burnout depletes you. Know the difference — and act before symptoms become a crisis.

What Is Burnout?

Adapted from the World Health Organization — burnout has three dimensions.

  • Exhaustion
    Feeling overextended and depleted of the emotional and physical resources you need to recover.
  • Cynicism
    A negative or detached response to the job — loss of idealism and dehumanization of others.
  • Inefficacy
    Feeling incompetent and unproductive — a lack of achievement at work.

Let's think about burnout as the lack of a flame. The flame needs to be rekindled to bring back the passion and enjoyment of one's career.

Take Action Against Burnout and Stress

Practical strategies you can use now. Content adapted from ACC semi-retired well-being resources and the Clinician Well-Being Toolkit — with pandemic-specific framing removed.

Combat Burnout — Build a Self-Care Plan

Self-care is not indulgence — it is maintenance. Elements of a self-care plan include journaling, meditation, mindfulness, stretching, breath techniques, and regular exercise.

Daily practices

  • Sleep hygiene — protect rest as a clinical skill, not a luxury

  • Mindfulness and meditation — build self-awareness and reduce stress

  • Movement — yoga, regular exercise, relaxation techniques

  • Connection — stay connected with friends, family, and community

Detect early and act

  • Watch for deteriorating health before symptoms become severe

  • Make a personal vision plan and prioritize goals

  • Set work-life boundaries and hold them

  • Schedule time for self-care, hobbies, and the people who matter

Self-leadership — lead yourself first

  • Be real — know what matters; align actions with values

  • Be whole — clarify expectations, build networks, manage boundaries

Source: ACC Clinician Well-Being Toolkit

Self-Care During High-Stress Periods

To care for others, care for yourself first. These practices sustain well-being when demand is high.

  • Remember self-care — monitor stress; take breaks; exercise; get outside when you can

  • Stay connected — check in with colleagues, family, and supervisors

  • Respect differences — some people need to talk; others need space

  • Limit media exposure — alarming content raises stress and lowers effectiveness

  • Self check-ins — watch for prolonged sadness, sleep problems, intrusive memories, hopelessness

  • Honor your service — recognize the work you and your colleagues do

  • Practice compassion — patience and gratitude sustain the team

Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress — sustaining well-being for health care personnel (PDF)

Source: Adapted from Tips to Cope (Metro Health / Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress)

Manage Stress and Anxiety

Psychosocial well-being matters as much as physical health. Feeling stressed under pressure is normal — it is not proof you cannot do your job. Stress can also help you stay focused and purposeful.

Steady yourself — ask

  • What happens to your body when worries mount?

  • How worried are you? What do you fear most?

  • What usually helps you handle worries?

Techniques that work

  • Diaphragmatic breathing — inhale and expand your belly; pause; exhale slowly to a count of five. Repeat four times.

  • Box breathing — slow, deep breaths to heighten focus and relieve stress

  • Guided imagery — envision a calming place; engage all senses

  • Mindfulness and meditation — especially effective for time pressure and excessive workload

  • Movement — yoga or short exercise breaks to slow heart rate and steady breathing

Source: Adapted from Stress Management Resources

Resilience Reboot — 30-Minute Check-In

Resilience only works when you pause to recharge. Set aside 30 minutes alone or with a trusted colleague to re-establish a realistic baseline — not business as usual.

Six domains of resilience

  • Vision / clarity / congruence

  • Composure

  • Reasoning

  • Tenacity

  • Collaboration

  • Health

Nine reflection questions

  1. What matters to me most right now?

  2. What is my greatest strength at this time?

  3. How can I channel that strength toward what matters most?

  4. What is one step I need to take right now?

  5. What can I safely stop doing for now?

  6. Who is one person I can involve?

  7. What is the most important reason I will not neglect my vision, myself, and others?

  8. I will take care of my physical health by ___

  9. I will take care of my emotional health by ___

Source: Adapted from Resilience Building in Times of Crisis

Break the Stigma — Seek Help

79% of cardiologists said they would not seek help for burnout. 45% are unlikely to participate in a workplace program. Professional support is not weakness — early intervention protects you and your patients.

Common barriers

  • “I can handle this myself” — peer and professional support exists

  • “Symptoms are not severe enough” — early action prevents crisis

  • “Too busy” — burnout reduces effectiveness at work

  • “Do not want to risk disclosure” — confidential resources are available

  • Hostile or uncivil behavior at work — see responding to uncivil behavior in the workplace

Confidential support

Source: ACC Clinician Well-Being Toolkit

DocMatter Connect with peers who understand

Share strategies, compare notes, and discuss well-being with cardiovascular colleagues in ACC's members-only community.