---
title: Energy Vampires and Physician Burnout – Stop the Downward Spiral !
description: Energy Vampires are a major cause of physician burnout. A physician coach shows how to stop the downward spiral
image: https://www.thehappymd.com/hs-fs/file-57145412-jpg/images/energy-vampire-physician-burnout-coaching-150x150.jpg
---

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## **The Creative Destruction of Physician Burnout **

[![prevent doctor burnout matrix](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/263814/da1e787d-095f-4485-9d4d-9a9bc4195d86.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/263814/da1e787d-095f-4485-9d4d-9a9bc4195d86)

# [Energy Vampires and Physician Burnout – Stop the Downward Spiral !](https://www.thehappymd.com/blog/bid/294609/energy-vampires-and-physician-burnout-stop-the-downward-spiral)

Posted by [Dike Drummond MD](https://www.thehappymd.com/blog/author/dike-drummond-md)

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## **![energy vampire physician burnout coaching 150x150](https://www.thehappymd.com/hs-fs/file-57145412-jpg/images/energy-vampire-physician-burnout-coaching-150x150.jpg)Energy Vampires and Physician Burnout – stop the downward spiral**

I recently heard that term for the first time on a popular online Physician Website. **Energy Vampires are those patients (you know the ones) who seems to suck your life energy away** every time you are near them.

What I found in my own career and with all of my clients is **we are surrounded by Energy Vampires … and many of them are not in human form.** These little energy suckers are everywhere, every day. Left unaddressed they can cause “death by 1000 paper cuts”. Here’s what I mean.

## **Think about your Personal Energy Level** ** as if it were a Bank Account**

**You always want to maintain a Positive Balance .**.. so that in the inevitable times when the energy vampires cause you to make an urgent withdrawal, there is something there to draw on. [Burnout is when your Energetic Bank Account is overdrawn ... and you have been sent to Collections!]

## **What things make a Deposit** ** into YOUR Energetic Bank Account?**

**And I am actually asking you to take a moment and answer that question … right now.**

- What are the things that fill you up … give you energy … make you smile?  
- Are you getting enough of those things to maintain a Positive Balance?  
- What Energy Supplying activities can you put on your schedule in this next month so you can begin to Fill Your Tank?  
- Get out your calendar and schedule them now … be prepared to defend them as well.

## **What things are ENERGY VAMPIRES  for You?**

There are certain patients that come to mind … right? You might want to discharge those folks from your practice – especially if you are unable to form a therapeutic relationship with them.  
**AND what about the other energy vampires that suck your energy away?**

- What is it that really fries your bacon … gets so totally on your nerves … drives you crazy?  
- AGAIN – make a list here. Energy Vampires don’t have to always take human form. And here is the next question.  
- What can you do to minimize the effect of your own Personal Energy Vampires?

**Are these activities you can**

- delegate  
- outsource  
- batch and do quickly and all-at-once  
- take a big breath and let go of completely  
- What else might you do so that you lose as little energy as possible?

[![satisfaction mind flip](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/263814/bde3de6b-472c-499b-bf05-9184973f7983.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/263814/bde3de6b-472c-499b-bf05-9184973f7983)

## **The Bigger Perspective** ** - Your Ultimate Energy Source**

Underneath the day-to-day ebb and flow of your personal energy is an interplay of your core Needs and Values.

**– Your Energy Balance Increases when your Needs are met and your Values Honored**

**– Your Energy Balance Decreases when your Needs are not met and your Values are violated**

One of the core exercises I share with my clients as we design more joy and satisfaction into their lives … is a detailed exploration of Your Core Needs and Values. Once you understand them clearly, you can design a life and work environment that meets them automatically, keeps your energy bank account in a healthy balance and can withstand the attack of occasional [energy vampires](http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Energy_vampire).

You can get a good head start on this Satisfaction By Design Process using the lists you generated above.

- Get more of those things that you know are energy rechargers  
- Mitigate against the effects of the Energy Vampires you are already aware of  
- Pay attention to the balance in your Energy Bank Account and keep some reserves in place

**==========================================**

**PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT  and tell us your favorite tactic for dealing with energy vampires.**

 

 Tags: [physician wellness](https://www.thehappymd.com/blog/topic/physician-wellness), [Physician Burnout](https://www.thehappymd.com/blog/topic/physician-burnout), [Physician Coaching](https://www.thehappymd.com/blog/topic/physician-coaching), [physician stress](https://www.thehappymd.com/blog/topic/physician-stress)

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