Practical Yoga Science Tools That Help Relieve Physician Burnout

You work in a demanding, high-stress environment.

You are expected to multi-task which is scientifically impossible.

You are part of an industry that increasingly values quantity over quality.

AMI’s Heart and Science of Yoga® curriculum teaches 36 proven Yoga Science tools to relieve burnout, enhance creativity, and to find fulfillment in today’s medical culture and at home.

The following tools, when practiced as part of the complete Yoga Science curriculum and toolbox, are instrumental in helping physicians transform stress into strength and rediscover their love of medicine.

Tool #1:  AMI’s One-Minute Breath Meditation

One-minute breath meditation can help when:

• You feel overwhelmed with too many tasks and responsibilities
• You feel like you don’t have enough time or energy to focus on your patients, your family, or yourself
• Your mind is racing
• You are experiencing anxiety, anger, or fear

How AMI’s One-Minute Breath Meditation Can Help

Practicing AMI’s one-minute breath meditation helps you slow down and focus your attention on what needs to be done at that specific moment.  Whether it is successfully completing a task, providing less reactive more compassionate patient care, or attending to your own self-care, a one-minute breath meditation is the tool you need.  Over time you will find your ability to solve problems creatively and to accomplish more in less time becomes greatly enhanced.

Tool #2: Diaphragmatic Breathing

Diaphragmatic breathing can help when:

• You are feeling drained or depleted
• You feel anxious, stressed, or your heart is racing
• You find it difficult to collect your thoughts
• You are feeling uncomfortable in a situation

How Diaphragmatic Breathing Can Help

Diaphragmatic breathing can decrease anxiety and stress and significantly increase energy as it brings the necessary prana (life force) to every cell in the body.  How you breathe is almost as important as the act of breathing itself.  When done correctly, diaphragmatic breathing calms the Vegas nerve and sends relaxation signals to the entire mind/body complex.  When practiced consistently, it becomes your automatic default, bringing you the necessary energy to successfully handle all of your duties and responsibilities.  Periodically check to see if you are breathing correctly throughout the day, especially when you are encountering uncomfortable or difficult situations, which can make you feel drained and depleted.  If you find you are breathing through your chest, you are holding a lot of tension and anxiety.  You can easily make a mid-course correction using this technique.