OATHS CAN BREAK YOU: THE UNTOLD STORY ABOUT DOCTORS & LAWYERS

I’ve spent 30 years coaching both professions and the personal challenges are the same. For example:

Dr. Smith said, “I’m proud of my work—but it’s taking everything out of me.”

Whether it’s a surgeon dictating charts at 11 p.m. or a senior partner tweaking briefs on Sunday morning, the pattern is identical—decades of putting others first, quietly starving their own well-being.

HOW THE GRIND TIGHTENS

1. Decision Density

2. Hundreds of high-stakes calls each day. One slip can cost a life…or a verdict.

3. Documentation Drag

4. EMR clicks for doctors. Discovery requests and time entries for attorneys. “Paper” now fills every spare minute.

5. No Off-Switch

6. Pagers, portals, and late-night email keep the brain on red alert long after the office lights dim.

Unchecked, the wear shows up as hypertension, brain fog, strained marriages, or the error that haunts a career.

WHY IT’S HARD TO SPEAK UP

Both groups swear an oath:

Modern Hippocratic Oath

Attorney’s Oath of Admission

Training adds an unwritten line:“Your needs don’t matter.”

Pride polishes the mask; culture applauds the martyr. Admitting fatigue feels like malpractice—so most wait until they hit the wall.

TWO PRACTICAL SHIFTS

15-MINUTE POST-EVENT LOCK-IN

• Doctors:Close charts or op notesimmediatelyafter the final stitch.

• Lawyers:Draft a quick action summary right after a hearing, then delegate.

• Why it works:Loose ends don’t chase you to bed at 3 a.m.

RED-YELLOW-GREEN DAILY TRIAGE

• RED:Must finish today (OR start, filing deadline)

• YELLOW:Schedule this week (care plan, case strategy)

• GREEN:Delegate or defer (routine refills, non-urgent email)

• Re-scan at lunch. Guard “RED” from surprise meetings. Color-coded clarity beats the nightly vow to“catch up later.”

A QUICK STORY

Years ago one of my clients, a physician, worked straight through a bout of pneumonia—convinced “everyone’s counting on them.”

They said that because the hospital bed that followed became his masterclass in reality,service is noble, and collapse is not.

Since then I’ve watched countless doctors and lawyers reclaim their calendars—and their health—by starting with justoneof the shifts above.

YOUR NEXT STEP

Pick a single tactic and run a 7-day trial. Track how many minutes (and headaches) you save. Share the idea with a colleague who’s quietly drowning, too.

You earned your oath; you don’t have to earn burnout. Small, steady changes keep you sharp for the people who rely on you—and leave a little life for you, too.

I help busy lawyers and doctors pivot from survival mode to a life that lasts—longer, healthier, and happier.

My coaching focuses on sharper organization, smarter priorities, and habits that boost physical, mental, and emotional well-being—so their careers thrive and their lives do, too.

DM me on LinkedIn or click on my link to schedule a call.