Episode 26: How Doctor Moms Can Escape a Scarcity Mindset

Eat when you can, sleep when you can, pee when you can.

Does this sound familiar?

This phrase is a war cry for busy physician moms who barely have time to sit, let alone warm up food or find a bathroom.

It is also a perfect catchphrase for describing scarcity mindset for physicians.

This mindset is indoctrinated in medical students the moment they set foot in a hospital – and it goes far beyond medical training. It’s woven in the fabric of who physicians are and blends seamlessly with the slew of parental responsibilities.

The scarcity mindset is a belief that resources and time are limited and won’t meet our needs or goals.

It often leads to feelings of inadequacy, competition, anxiety and exhaustion.

There is a way out. There is a counterbalance.

It’s time to put this war cry to rest and feel better. This is the topic for today’s episode.

Join me!

Physicians are Trained in a Scarce Environment

I remember sitting in the OR looking at the video screen as my urology surgeon maneuvered a video scope in a patient’s bladder. This bladder looked different than normal. My surgeon explained the wall was overstretched and damaged due to urinary retention.

I sat there; legs crossed as I was ignoring the fact I had to run to the restroom for at least a few hours now. I sure hoped my bladder wall wasn’t getting damaged at that very moment.

The thought of what my own poor bladder was dealing with was too much to worry about, I didn’t have an option.

As an anesthesiologist I couldn’t jump up and run to the bathroom.

I wouldn’t have time between cases either, unless I rushed an already fast process of dropping the current patient to recovery, prepping my room for the next case, and meeting my next patient for the first time.

I then evaluate my patient, develop a plan to mitigate any anesthesia risk factors they have and comfort them on one of their most stressful days. I do all of this and step through those OR doors on time for the next case.

What are my strategies? That’s simple, fluid restriction. I can’t drink water, unless I want to be tortured with the urge to use a bathroom, and that distracts me from doing my job well.

Follow me a little further here. I do worry about possible consequences of not freely hydrating and using the restroom. It could lead to dehydration, physical exhaustion, increased risk of kidney stones or infection and after looking at that video screen, maybe a sad, damaged bladder wall.

What I didn’t have was time to meet my basic needs. This contributed to my scarcity mindset and was hard to break. Even when life slowed down a bit, I still found myself waiting to just use the bathroom!

This mindset encompasses much more than physiological needs.

Scarcity Mindset as it Relates to the Doctor Mom

Scarcity mindset for physicians is a psychological state where your gut instinct tells you that resources, opportunities, or time are limited and insufficient. You don’t have enough of something, “fill in your blank,” to meet your basic needs or goals.

Why does the brain fall for this?  Well, it is conditioned to think this way because of several factors. This happens with many high achieving people, but some are unique to physicians.

Here are several examples:

• Limited Resources: Time, money, staff, or equipment is insufficient to meet professional demands.
• Fear of Loss: The fear of losing patients, opportunities, or professional standing can drive a scarcity mindset.
• Comparison and competition: Physicians may constantly compare themselves to peers, feeling inadequate or behind. The medical profession is highly competitive, leading to the need to outperform others.
• Perfectionism: The pressure to be perfect can create a sense of scarcity, as it can be difficult to achieve perfection in every situation.
• Fear of Failure: The fear of making mistakes or not meeting expectations can contribute to a scarcity mindset.
• Overwork: Physicians may feel compelled to work excessive hours to meet demands, leading to burnout and a sense of scarcity.
• Not Having Time to Eat: Many days I ate what was offered in the OR and physician lounges. Often that would be sandwiches and chips or pizza.

So prevalent is the scarcity mindset, that I could fill a book with stories on each of these topics. If fact, I envision a whole encyclopedia set full of stories – a book for each subheading above.

Scarcity mindset is second nature, indoctrinated, and it’s holding mom docs back from living healthy lives. It manifests as burnout, stress, and decreased job satisfaction.

This mindset of not enough continues even when there is enough.

Next, I’ll talk about how to extract yourself from this thought pattern and provide some strategies to implement a healthier mindset.

Are you ready?

Counterbalance a Scarcity Mindset with an Abundance Mindset

An abundance mindset for a physician mom is a belief that there are enough resources, opportunities, and time to meet personal and professional needs.  Success is not a zero-sum game.  It’s about believing in unlimited potential and your ability to tap into it.

It is a shift away from the focus on limitations, competition or fear of loss, and all those examples I just mentioned.

Think of your life as a garden. With a scarcity mindset, you focus on the weeds and the barren patches. With an abundance mindset, you nurture the flowers and celebrate the growth.”

You also show more gratitude for what you have, rather than focus on what you lack. This means you are paying attention to the positive ways to make your day a little better.

Gratitude helps zero in on the flowers, the positive aspects of life. And with a more optimistic outlook, you’re better equipped to navigate challenges and seize opportunities.”

For me, I had to change my definition of success. I used to feel that having more responsibilities, doing bigger cases and earning more money meant I was successful. Well, of course there were always people doing better than me!

I realized that my definition of success was flawed. Instead of focusing on the gap between what I had and what others had, I started to appreciate the monumental level of what I had accomplished on my own. It was like shedding a heavy weight, freeing me from the constant pressure to be better.

I found my success not in comparison and what I lacked, but in self-reflection and what I had.

Actionable Steps that Physician Moms Can Take to Cultivate an Abundance Mindset

I have 3 strategies, or steps, today to help deprogram a scarcity mindset.

Step 1: Cultivate a Growth Mindset. Think of your mind as a garden. Just as you tend to your garden, nourish your mind and believe you can change and grow. Do this by challenging limiting beliefs and embracing mistakes as learning opportunities.

You will be more interested in what’s possible.

You can absolutely develop or improve a growth mindset. It’s just another skill and I know you are a master at honing skills!

In a nutshell, you believe your abilities can be developed as you seek out new experiences to grow.

This is a big topic, I know. To learn more about this I recommend the woman who coined the term growth mindset, Carol Dweck. I listened to her book, Mindset, which she narrates herself! There are also so many videos of her walking through this concept free online.

Step 2: Practice gratitude by regularly expressing gratitude for what you have. This could be as simple as a mindful observation on something that brings you joy. It could also be creating an affirmation you remind yourself of daily. Or you may write down things you are grateful for in a list, journal, or at the bottom of your daily planner.

So again, you are shifting focus on what you have versus what you wish for.

Step 3: Surround yourself with a positive network. Choose to spend time with people who have an abundance or growth mindset.

Who are the colleagues or mentors that exude that energy that you want? Hang out with them! Interact with them – you can’t help but catch some of that positivity too.

A positive mindset empowers you to succeed.

The Big Takeaway for Today

If you too struggle with lingering scarcity mindset, you are not alone. For years this was a way to survive, it served a good purpose really. It preserved physiological functions so we could keep working.

Now, it is time to rein that back in and adopt healthier habits. To do this, take a small step today to change the scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset.  Use one or a few of the tools discussed today, like building your growth mindset, practicing gratitude, or seeking more positive influence in friends or mentors.

The advantages are a breath of fresh air when you start to feel there is enough. You do have resources, opportunities, and time to meet personal and professional needs.

Imagine waking up every day feeling more energy, inspiration, and control. That’s the power of an abundance mindset. By shifting your perspective, you’re not just surviving; you’re thriving. So, take that first step today, and discover the incredible possibilities that await you.

Don’t forget to join me next week for another dose of support and inspiration. Until then, take care of yourselves, and take care of those who matter most.

It’s Time to Take Control and Thrive!

Disclaimer – This podcast is based on my own opinions and is not meant to constitute medical advice. I am telling my story to illustrate my own experience with a scarcity mindset. I am also not a urologist. Please seek proper medical advice from your physician if you are experiencing any medical conditions that concern you.