5 Ways to Escape Burnout (From a Doctor Who’s Been There)

Life Updates from San Diego 🏄‍♂️

I’m officially in my second week living here in San Diego—and I’m starting to settle in. I found a gym that I love and I’m finally back into a consistent workout routine, hitting the gym 5–6 days a week.

My current routine is 25 minutes of cardio, 25 minutes of lifting. Sometimes it’s 20/20. I get in, stay focused, and get out. Nothing fancy. I work out for my mental health more than anything. I feel better when I move. I think better when I move. You guys know I say this all the time, movement is medicine. And even if you don’t have an hour, seriously, 10 or 15 minutes can make a real difference.

On the home front… I may or may not have gone a little overboard filling the house with plants. My wife, Ari, sat me down the other day—after my third plant shopping spree in one week—and kindly explained the difference between wants and needs. Apparently, a couch, dining table, and chairs are “needs.” But a new fiddle leaf fig? A monstera? A snake plant? Somehow... not needs? I don’t know, someone help me understand.

Here is my favorite new plant friend this week:

Tell me this succulent cactus doesn’t look exactly like the alien creatures, from the movie Alien?

And—big milestone—this week, on July 1st, I officially start seeing patients at Goodman Psychiatry. My first week is already pretty packed, and I feel incredibly honored and grateful. The fact that so many of you trust me to care for your mental health is not something I take lightly.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve also realized something about my practice. While I’m open to working with anyone who is looking for thoughtful, personalized care, I’ve naturally evolved to focus on helping:

• Healthcare workers

• Students (especially those training for healthcare)

• And high achievers, entrepreneurs, and founders trying to heal, grow, and thrive

I know this world because I’ve lived it. I know what it’s like to study for thousands of hours. I know what it’s like to take care of others before taking care of myself. I know the mental load of being a business owner & creator—juggling multiple roles and still trying to protect your own well-being.

So that’s the mission of this clinic: helping the helpers, the dreamers, and the doers find peace, balance, and mental clarity. The waitlist is still open if you or a loved one live in CA or FL and are interested in seeing me. I’ll link it here

Thank you all for supporting me on this journey. I’ll keep sharing updates—especially once my home office is fully set up. (The bookshelf is already stacked with mental health books…and a few Inside Out characters for good measure. Tour coming soon.)

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OK—on to this week’s topic:

Burnout: What It Is, How to Spot It, and What to Do About It

I’ve experienced burnout more times than I can count. Studying 14 hours a day for my medical board exams in med school—burnout. Working six overnight shifts a week in the ER back-to-back for a month straight—burnout. Living in the hospital for 24-hour shifts, eating every meal there—burnout. Even creating content on social media, as much as I love it, has brought me to the edge of burnout before.

Burnout isn’t just a buzzword. It’s a real mental and physical state that happens when chronic stress outweighs your ability to recover. It’s your brain and body hitting the brakes because you never let up on the gas.

Burnout vs. Depression: What’s the Difference?

• Burnout is tied to a situation (work, caregiving, school, even creative work). If the stressor improves, the symptoms tend to go away.

• Depression is a clinical condition that shows up everywhere in life—not just in one role. It often persists even if the stressor is removed.

Of course, burnout can lead to depression if left unaddressed.

Common Signs of Burnout:

• Emotional exhaustion—you feel drained even after sleep

• Cynicism or detachment—"What’s the point?" energy

• Decreased motivation — Lack of interest, enthusiasm, or engagement in work or other activities

• Feeling ineffective—like nothing you do matters

• Trouble concentrating or feeling numb

• Physical symptoms: headaches, gut issues, fatigue

Burnout isn’t just for high-pressure jobs. It shows up in caregivers, students, parents, entrepreneurs, and anyone who’s chronically stretched too thin.

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5 Things to Do If You’re Burned Out

1. Recognize It.
Half the battle is admitting you’re burned out. If you’re wondering “Am I just tired... or is this something more?”—there’s a chance it’s burnout. Awareness gives you permission to stop pretending it’s fine.

2. Remove What You Can. Reduce What You Can’t (TRIM THE FAT).
You can’t always quit your job or stop parenting—but you can trim. Say no. Cancel what isn’t essential. Swap “perfect” for “done.” My wife and I created a phrase for this, it’s called “Trim the fat, protect the core”. FYI, this phrase has nothing to do with excess adipose tissue — it’s metaphorical fat we are referring to here. She event created an art piece for me with this slogan (see below). Every time I start feeling burned out, I remind myself to trim the fat, protect the core. Even reducing the load by 10-20% helps.

3. Rest Like It’s Your Job.
Burnout is a recovery problem. Real rest isn’t scrolling. It’s sleep, nature, music, silence, movement without a goal, doing nothing without guilt. Build rest in on purpose (in full transparency, I struggle with this and am actively working on this now).

4. Reconnect to Small Joy.
Burnout shrinks your world. Deliberately add back in things that spark even a flicker of joy, walks, music, a hobby, calling someone you love. Small joy compounds.

5. Ask for Help—Early.
You don’t have to earn rest by crashing first. Whether it’s talking to a therapist or a psychiatrist (I know a guy 🤔), asking your partner for more help, or offloading tasks—it counts. The earlier, the better.

*** Quick aside: I think we often overuse the word “burnout” and underuse “depression.” Sometimes it’s easier to tell ourselves we’re just burned out—when in reality, it’s gone deeper. I say this as someone who once convinced myself I was burned out... but I was actually depressed. You may need to speak to a mental health professional to determine if you are experiencing something deeper than burnout.

6. Bonus — Repeat this mantra: My worth isn’t tied to how productive I am. I am a human being, not a machine. Read that again!

I hope this resonated. Please share if so — it really helps get the word out about the newsletter!

And please leave a comment, I try to respond to every one.

Until next week,
Dr. Goodman

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SAN DIEGO HOUSE UPDATES:

After four years of psychiatry residency, I’m finally stepping into a new chapter: we’ve moved into our dream home in San Diego and I’m officially launching Goodman Psychiatry. With so much change happening all at once, there’s one thing Ari and I decided we had to prioritize right away — sleep.

That’s why we partnered with Nectar and chose their Luxe Hybrid mattress for our bedroom. We were blown away by how comfortable and supportive it is (honestly, it feels like sleeping on a cloud). We also love the adjustable base — the reading mode is perfect for winding down with a book, and the zero gravity mode has been a game changer for feeling weightless and relieving pressure after long days.

The setup was surprisingly easy, and we loved it so much that we even surprised my parents with a mattress in our guest room! As a mental health doctor, I know firsthand how critical quality sleep is for your mood, focus, and overall well-being — and Nectar gets that too.

- 365-night trial

- Forever warranty

- Save Up to 50% here!

If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your sleep, now’s a great time.

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Disclaimer: This newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The content is based on evidence-supported research and personal experience, and is not intended to replace professional medical care. Always consult your healthcare provider before beginning new treatments or making changes to your health routine. This newsletter does not establish a doctor–patient relationship. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, we make no guarantees as to the completeness or accuracy of the information presented. Content is general in nature and may not apply to your specific situation. Please note, submitting the intake form for my practice does not guarantee a response from our office. Completion of this form does not establish a client–patient relationship. We will respond to all qualified inquiries as promptly as possible.