Sabrina Runbeck - What is Burnout?

Lady Empire

Sabrina Runbeck is a cardiothoracic surgery PA with more than 10 years of experience in public health and neuroscience. She is also the author of Asian Women Who BossUp, a book about Asian women overcoming difficulties and inspiring change. Sabrina will discuss how she has overcome burnout and a draining career while still being able to do the one thing she loves most, improving people’s lives.

Instagram: @sabrinarunbeck
Sabrina Runbeck Bio:
"When I was 12 years old, my life was uprooted. I moved around the world, then to the U.S., and a few months later I was spending all my weekends selling goods at a local flea market with my broken English. For a long time, this was my family’s only income. I thought this was a normal teenager’s life. I was just trying to navigate life in a different country while figuring out who I was.

Before coming to the U.S., life was much simpler. I only had to go to school, get good grades, be the leading student in my class, and have fun with my friends. Everything else from household chores to preparing for food were all taken care of.

Growing up as an Asian woman, I embraced the power of working hard. I had to get up early and work with my family, among other things to better my family and myself. I put on a “mask,” let’s call it my “not-crying mask,” while continuously finding a way to get to the next level. I held a mentality back then that if I don’t push myself no one will. I think my efforts paid off when I got two master’s degrees and broke into the highly competitive cardiovascular surgery field.

Strangely enough, despite how many marks I was able to check, I was not satisfied. This is a common saboteur for professionals called “Stickler,” and my version of it is “Miss Nothing is Good Enough.” I then decided to break out of my comfort zone to become an international speaker to empower women in healthcare like me. Myself, too, as I had to learn to neutralize “Miss Nothing is Good Enough.” I stepped outside of my comfort zone to become an international speaker to empower women in healthcare. With the right system they can have both — a powerful career and a passionate life without feeling overwhelmed, underappreciated, or being undervalued.

Busy and ambitious healthcare professionals are burning out at record times while experiencing severe mental trauma during this pandemic. Reports also found that they are among 20% of the death rate caused by COVID-19. The stress will likely linger — we just passed the second wave, and now there’s a potential third wave on the way.

Healthcare workers are put in a tough spot, making impossible decisions and working under extreme pressure. They want to show up as the best practitioners but they are already overworked. A national medical research database, Medscape, found that 64 percent of physicians are more stressed out yet receive little support from their organizations during COVID19.

After overcoming constant work-related stress, I now empower busy professionals to restore their mental immunity, reboot efficiency, and create a life they love."

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