Dr Sarah Coope joins me to talk about the workload of medical professionals and the benefits of setting boundaries while dealing with criticisms amidst the global pandemic. We discuss the three elements of the Drama Triangle and ways to navigate or avoid them reliably. As we dive deeper into their conversation, we emphasise the art of saying 'No' through acknowledging our limits. 

If you want to take the first step in recognising your limits, handling criticism better and setting proper boundaries, tune in to this episode.

Episode Highlights

[04:43] The Overarching Challenges Brought by the Pandemic

• There was and still is much grief, trauma, guilt, and moral injury for doctors.

[06:46] Most Impactful Messages from the Podcast Amidst COVID

• Dr Caroline Walker shared a fundamental key message: ‘It's okay not to be okay’.

[09:55] Criticism and Over-responsibility

[13:03] Setting Boundaries around Responsibilities

• We need to make peace with our limits. 

[17:23] Should-ing and Ought-ing

• We often take criticism personally because it targets our deepest insecurities.

[20:26] Hippocratic Oath Shaming

• Overdoing your duties circles back to the saviour-rescuer.

[22:29] Our Core Self-Beliefs

• Awareness allows us to introspect about the roots and rationale behind our self-beliefs.

[25:29] Being in the Victim Mode

• We often try to control too much of what we can’t control.

[27:08] On the Dangers of Resilience

• Resilience training is about learning what you can do for yourself.

[28:21] Getting Out of the Victim Mentality

• We always have a choice, but every choice has unique consequences.

[31:00] On Self-Sabotage

• Stay in your zone of power and leave the rest of the things you have no control over.

[33:23] Tips on Saying ‘No’

• Give yourself a pause before deciding to say 'Yes' to something. 

[37:09] Say ‘No’ to the Task, Not the Person

• Set a boundary, but remain connected by saying ‘Yes’ to the person.

[38:19] What Leaders Could Have Done Differently

• Tell teams that it’s okay to set boundaries and to look after themselves.

[42:38] Having a Sense of Pace and Balance

• Recognise that the journey is a marathon, not a sprint.

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Mentioned in this episode:

The Anti-Burnout System

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