Facing the music: Why you might be unhappy

Q: Why am I so miserable in my job? I’ve worked on work-life balance issues, but I can’t seem to find a way to a better place.

A: This could be a poor job fit. Your job may not suit your personality or value set. It might have been a poor fit for the last 20 years.

Your particular job could be a poor fit between your workstyle and your practice’s expectations. Sometimes you work in a place where your values seemed to fit well, but changes in leadership or priorities created a mismatch between your organization’s expectations and what you can actually deliver.

Find the perfect job for you.

The problem could be medicine in general. It’s hard to take the time to reflect on your values when you’re in a factory practice where you see patients every five minutes.

Many physicians haven’t thought deeply about if they are living their own values, at least not since they were younger. It’s time.

Response from Peter Moskowitz, MD, executive director, Center for Professional and Personal Renewal, Palo Alto, Calif.