Balm in the Burnout, Episode 7: 

Healthcare Burnout to Work Life Balance - Designing a Life You Don’t Need to Escape From with Patrick Otis

Welcome back to Balm in the Burnout! In this episode, Megan sits down with Patrick Otis, a nurse anesthetist, pickleball enthusiast, and advocate for work-life balance.

About Our Guest:
Patrick has been a nurse since 2013 and a nurse anesthetist since 2018. Outside the operating room, you’ll find him on the pickleball court, singing in choir with his husband, deep in a personal finance spreadsheet, or planning his next adventure. Patrick is passionate about staying active—physically, mentally, and emotionally—and about creating balance in a demanding profession.

In This Episode:

• Patrick and Megan discuss burnout, the importance of finding joy and community outside of work, and how to avoid letting your job define your entire identity.
• Patrick shares how pickleball became a source of presence, mindfulness, and community in his life.
• The conversation explores the challenges of maintaining identity and wellbeing as a healthcare professional, especially through the pandemic.
• They touch on financial independence, the FIRE movement, moving the goalpost, and the value of enjoying life now rather than always chasing the next milestone.
• Patrick offers practical advice for reducing burnout: find something outside of work that you love and build community around it.
• The episode wraps up with reflections on fun, friendship, and the importance of being kind—to yourself and others.

Key Themes & Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction to Balm in the Burnout and today’s guest  

01:20 – Patrick’s grounding moment: singing and connection in choir  

03:08 – Patrick’s background in healthcare and navigating pandemic burnout  

06:35 – When your job becomes your identity (and how to change that)  

09:44 – Discovering joy through pickleball and physical presence  

13:55 – Why fun is an essential part of burnout recovery  

17:20 – Shifting values after crisis: work-life balance and reframing success  

20:45 – Finding a team that brings ease and connection  

23:03 – Exploring FIRE: financial independence and reclaiming your time  

26:42 – Escaping the cycle of “more”: enoughness, rest, and values  

30:15 – Final thoughts: community, self-kindness, and long-term healing  

33:12 – Outro and how to connect with Patrick on Instagram

Connect with Patrick:
Follow Patrick on Instagram: @pfaunillian to keep up with his pickleball adventures and more.

Takeaway:
Don’t work so hard that you forget to have fun. Find your people, build community, and remember: you are more than your job.

Thanks for listening!

Dive Deeper:

For more tools and services to support your risk reduction of burnout, visit Megan at harvesthealthandwellbeing.com, or hhwellb.com for her short links of upcoming events and free resources.