---
title: Work Life Balance - Frustration is a Call to Action
description: Work Life Balance for Physicians is a constant battle between your longing for rest, relaxation, some exercise, time with friends and family ... any
image: https://www.thehappymd.com/hs-fs/file-50755905-jpg/images/gorilla-277x300.jpg
---

[![Stop-physician-burnout-dike-drummond-physician-leadership-you-can-banner-11-5-2018_opt995W](https://www.thehappymd.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stop-physician-burnout-dike-drummond-physician-leadership-you-can-banner-11-5-2018_opt995W-1.jpg?width=995&height=146&name=Stop-physician-burnout-dike-drummond-physician-leadership-you-can-banner-11-5-2018_opt995W-1.jpg "Stop-physician-burnout-dike-drummond-physician-leadership-you-can-banner-11-5-2018_opt995W")](https://www.thehappymd.com)

## **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)

# [Work Life Balance - Frustration is a Call to Action](https://www.thehappymd.com/blog/bid/324617/work-life-balance-frustration-is-a-call-to-action)

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

- [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)

## ![work life balance for physicians 800 pound gorilla medical career](https://www.thehappymd.com/hs-fs/file-50755905-jpg/images/gorilla-277x300.jpg?width=138&height=150&name=gorilla-277x300.jpg)**A Work Life Balance tool that Taps Frustration to Build a Better Week Ahead**

**Work Life Balance for Physicians is a constant battle between your longing for rest**, relaxation, some exercise, time with friends and family ... any life at all ... **and the voracious needs of the #800 Gorilla that is your career.**

**How often have you gotten to the end of the week and said in frustration, "I wish I had been able to**   
- go for a run  
- spend time with my children  
- have a date with my spouse  
- read a book for pleasure (for just 15 minutes, I'm not asking for much here...)  
- [fill in with your frustration of the week]  
....... this week.

**I want you to know that this Frustration doesn't have to be a [Broken Record](https://www.thehappymd.com/blog/bid/288731/Patient-Flow-and-the-Broken-Record-Method-to-Get-Home-Sooner).**

You don't have to submit to it week after week and limit yourself to just the victim's cycle of blame, justify and complain.

### *==================== "You don't get what you want in life* *You get what you Tolerate"* ~ Anurag Gupta ====================

## **The Highest & Best use of Frustration is as a Call To Action and a Power Source for Change **

**You can learn to channel the energy of your Frustration into a better week ahead with the following process. **

Notice that any Work Life Balance Frustration is a Challenge to two things

**1) Your Clarity **

**2) Your Resolve**

## **Clarity**

**The feeling of frustration is asking you to get Crystal Clear on what you really want to have happen in this coming week.** What is the one life balancing activity you want to have actually happen in this coming week? If you are wondering which one to choose, **frustration can help.**

When you get to the end of the week and you are feeling out of balance, **what is the most frustrating thing you were not able to accomplish in the week just passed?** Sleep, exercise, time with your kids? What was it?

**This is the activity to plan on getting done in this next week ahead.**

## **Resolve**

Resolve: Definition "Firm determination to do something". Let's go one step further ...

**Let me show you five quick steps to take your Clarity and Resolve and turn them into Accomplishment.**

As Larry the Cable Guy says, let's figure out a way to **"Git 'er done".**

**  
1) Use the "Schedule HACK"**

**In order to defend this life activity from that #800 Gorilla you must schedule it.**

Here's the challenge. **Most doctors I know carry only one schedule with them at all times ... their work/call schedule.** If that is the only calendar you carry, you can bet that is the only thing that is sure to get done. This habit of only carrying a work calendar just reinforces the imbalance. This is where the Schedule HACK comes in.

**The Schedule HACK process is a simple way to make sure you are always carrying your life calendar too.** Here is [a full training on how to execute the HACK](https://www.thehappymd.com/blog/bid/289962/Work-Life-Balance-Schedule-HACK-for-Busy-Doctors). Let me hit the high points.

> - Decide on the activity you want
> - Pick the day and time you will do this work life balancing activity
> - Then write it in on your family calendar at home (the one on the side of the refrigerator)
> - Take a picture with your cell phone
> - **Voila. You have your life calendar with you at all times**

### **2) Defend Your Life Calendar**

Now you have your activity on a calendar you carry with you ... you can defend your life activities from that Gorilla. **If anyone asks you to take extra call or work an extra shift ... here is what you say.**

*"Hang on a second, let me check my calendar. "*

Pull out your cell phone and check your life calendar.   
If that time is taken ... here is what you can say:

*"I am sorry, I am booked at that time. I won't be able to help out"*

**DONE.** You just defended your life and shut the door in the face of the gorilla.

**Power Tip:**  
Saying "NO" is very foreign to most physicians. I strongly encourage you to practice saying no like this - in the bathroom mirror - until you are completely comfortable before trying it out at work.

### **3) Do Your Thang (and enjoy the heck out of it)**

When the time comes for your work life balance activity. The decks are clear ... **just DO IT.**

And remember to savor it. **Let the enjoyment of experiencing this soak in to your body in all the right places in just the right amounts.** (you can almost feel it now, right?)

### **4) Celebrate It**

You worked hard. Your work life balance activity actually happened. **So pat yourself on the  back, pump your fist and say "Yes", treat yourself to an ice cream sandwich.**

Basically, [treat yourself like a dog.](http://youtu.be/u_zt3DsH7Ug) You deserve it.

### **5) REPEAT**

**In an ideal world, the Schedule HACK is a weekly Life Planning session for you and your family.** This is the simplest way I know to rebalance your life and end the frustration. Over time and with practice you can get to a place where your life is MUCH more balanced.

## **Here is the cycle again**

- **Get Clear on What You Really Want**
- **HACK Your Life Schedule into Your Cell Phone**
- **Learn How to Say "NO" with Elegance and Grace**
- **Just DO IT (soak it up)**
- **Celebrate**
- **REPEAT**

=============

## **PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT:**

**What is the work life balance activity you are going to do this week?**

 

 Tags: [Work Life Balance](https://www.thehappymd.com/blog/topic/work-life-balance)

- [Home ](https://www.thehappymd.com)
- [Blog ](https://www.thehappymd.com/blog)
- [About](https://www.thehappymd.com/about-the-happy-md)  
- [ Contact ](https://www.thehappymd.com/contact)
- | 
- [Republish Articles](https://www.thehappymd.com/the-happy-md-content-network-signup-r)

 

|| [Privacy Policy](https://www.thehappymd.com/privacy-policy) | [Terms of Use](https://www.thehappymd.com/terms-of-use) | [Anti-Spam Policy](https://www.thehappymd.com/anti-spam-policy) ||

 

**© TheHappyMD.com all rights reserved**

```json
{
  "@context" : "https://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Dike Drummond MD",
    "url" : "https://www.thehappymd.com/blog/author/dike-drummond-md"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2020-09-10T05:21:35.110Z",
  "datePublished" : "2013-08-02T23:29:00.000Z",
  "headline" : "Work Life Balance - Frustration is a Call to Action",
  "image" : [ "https://www.thehappymd.com/hs-fs/file-50755905-jpg/images/gorilla-277x300.jpg" ],
  "mainEntityOfPage" : {
    "@id" : "https://www.thehappymd.com/blog/bid/324617/work-life-balance-frustration-is-a-call-to-action",
    "@type" : "WebPage"
  },
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "url" : "https://www.thehappymd.com/hubfs/Stop-physician-burnout-dike-drummond-physician-leadership-you-can-banner-11-5-2018_opt995W.jpg"
    },
    "name" : "The Happy MD"
  }
}
```