The Developing Doctor
Blog Store Book a Consult Contact
← Back to all posts

Reclaim Joy, One Small Step at a Time

by Ben Reinking
Feb 09, 2025
Connect
Share to…
Share

 

Let’s be real: Most days, our healthcare system feels less like a well-oiled machine and more like a treadmill set to “marathon mode.” But here’s the good news—you have more power to thrive than you think. This week’s newsletter is your dose of practical wisdom, inspiration, and a little nudge toward the life you deserve. 

"Thriving in the Trenches":  A Survival Guide for Broken Systems 🩺

If you read my previous blog posts, you know I don’t sugarcoat the dumpster fire of modern medicine. But here’s the twist:

Joy isn’t reserved for people working in functional systems.

In my latest post, I dive into how physicians can find fulfillment despite systemic challenges.

The key? Focusing on what we can control rather than fighting battles we can't win. I share how small daily choices transformed my practice and provide stratgies you can implement now. 

Read The Blog 

 


 “I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.”

— Stephen R. Covey

 

Coach's Corner

This week, I want to guide you through an exercise to identify small changes that can make a significant impact on your day.

  1. Identify a daily struggle. What is one challenge you face that drains your energy? (Example: Charting afterhours)
  2. What is unchangeable? What about the challenge can't be changed? (Example: notes are required for every patient visit)
  3. What is the desired outcome? (Example: Completing notes before leaving the office)
  4.  What can you do? Brainstorm a tiny action to achieve the desired outcome? (Examples: Start using an AI scribe or voice recognition software.)

 

Ready for real Change? Let’s Talk.

 

If this resonated, imagine what we could do in a free 45-minute coaching call.

Book A Consult 

Together, we’ll:

🔹 Uncover hidden drains on your energy
🔹 Build a personalized “Thriving Roadmap” 
🔹 Or—if DIY is more your style—grab my online course Mastery and Wellness: How to Thrive as a Physician.

Get The Course 

 

Final Thoughts

 

You didn’t survive med school to merely endure your career. Let’s make thriving non-negotiable.

 

To Thriving,

 

Ben 

P.S. Forward this to a colleague who needs it. Burnout is contagious—but so is hope. 😉

 

Responses

Join the conversation
t("newsletters.loading")
Loading...
What a milestone taught me
The grandkids are 4 and 7 months old now. I'm still getting used to being called Grandpa Ben. This weekend my partner and I traveled to Texas to watch my bonus son graduate from his emergency medicine residency. He and his partner have the seven-month-old. She's a year ahead of him, working locums, and in a few weeks they'll both be practicing emergency medicine. I sat in that crowd listening t...
The Question I Get Most: "How Can You Help Me?"
And the honest answer — especially for physicians. It usually comes a few minutes into a first conversation, sometimes with a slightly raised eyebrow: "So — how exactly can you help me?" It's a fair question. Honestly, it's my favorite one, because physicians ask it differently than most people do. We are trained to value expertise. We spent a decade or more accumulating it. We hold a terminal ...
The Cottonwood
When I’m visit my hometown, I like to go for walks with my parents They live on the eastern edge of South Dakota, where the Big Sioux runs down to meet the Missouri. There’s a wooded peninsula between the two rivers. A quiet area full of cottonwoods. We see deer, Baltimore orioles, and the occasional pileated woodpecker working a dead trunk. It is kind of quiet place that empties my head. On o...

Mastery and Wellness: Thriving in Medicine

A weekly newsletter designed to empower medical professionals to achieve mastery, balance, and well-being in their careers and lives.

Join Our Free Trial

Get started today before this once in a lifetime opportunity expires.