Mindset, meditation, and mindfulness, a neurologist's perspective on burnout with Dr. Puja Aggarwal

Wellbeing in Medicine Podcast (formerly the MedEdWell Podcast)

Most of us see burnout as a physical, emotional, and mental state that occurs when we feel depleted or overwhelmed, but it actually affects our brain.

It has been shown that when we have chronic burnout, our hippocampus gets thinner, and the prefrontal cortex is affected, making it more difficult for us to focus, make good decisions, and remember information. This impacts our physical, emotional, and mental wellness, which makes us more likely to be stressed out by non-stressor situations, very reactive, easily upset, and more irritable.

Eliminating burnout is key to optimal performance, and to achieve it, you need to make yourself a priority and re-evaluate what works for you and what doesn’t. Practicing self-care, mindfulness, and looking out for yourself can help you feel better, make better decisions and perform better.

Join the conversation with Dr. Puja Aggarwal as she shares more about mindset, meditation, and mindfulness, from a neurologist's perspective on burnout. Dr. Aggarwal is a certified burnout and stress management coach, and a board-certified Neurologist and Epileptologist. Dr. Aggarwal experienced burnout as a physician five years ago when she was overwhelmed, overworked and tired.

Through coaching, she learned how to change her mindset and became more self-aware to realize her priorities and boundaries. She now runs Zenful Brain Coaching to help female professionals overcome burnout and lead empowered lives with fulfillment, fun, and freedom. Dr. Aggarwal uses a science-based approach to help her clients to optimize the use of their brains, and she has her own podcast, Zenful Brain, where she discusses ways to optimize our brain to live a more mindful and empowered life.

Tune in!

During this episode, you will learn about;

[00:00] Introduction to the show

[02:14] A bit about our guest today, Dr. Puja Aggarwal

[03:37] Dr. Aggarwal’s journey in medicine and how it led to burnout

[09:04] How coaching helped Dr. Aggarwal beat burnout

[13:21] How burnout affects the brain and performance

[15:18] Using mindfulness and meditation to improve your performance

[19:28] The root cause of burnout in the healthcare system

[21:49] Dr. Aggarwal's message to young attendants coming out of residency

[24:23] How to reach out, connect or learn more about Dr. Aggarwal

[24:44] Ending the show and call to action

Notable Quotes

• There are no golden handicaps, and you don't have to continue your job because of money; there are other better opportunities to make money.
• To beat burnout, you need to make yourself a priority
• Everything is open for negotiation, and there is always room for you to negotiate.
• If you don't ask, you are never going to know.

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Connect with Us

Dr. Ryan Stegink

Website: https://www.medededwell.com

Get Coaching with Dr. Stegink: https://www.mededwell.com/coaching

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mededwell

Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mededwell

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mededwell1

YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC_6svH-LEDhLjqD7bKa2TSQ

Dr. Puja Aggarwal

Website www.zenfulbrain.com

Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/zenful-brain/id1608604926

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/zenfulbrainofficial/