Episode 206 kicks off a 10-episode series on connection: with yourself, your colleagues, your patients and your purpose. We start with the brain, because connection is not a nice-to-have for people with spare time. It is biology.

Dr Jo takes you to a women in leadership course in Prato, near Florence, where a values exercise shifted her top values from integrity, growth and fun to connection and courage. Values aren’t tattoos. She got clear on her new values in a room full of people.

The research behind why isolation feels like a threat:
Eisenberger and Lieberman (UCLA): social exclusion lights up pain-related brain regions James Coan (University of Virginia) social baseline theory: holding the hand of someone close calms the brain’s threat response
Julianne Holt-Lunstad (BYU): lacking social connection carries a mortality risk comparable to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, via biological, behavioural and psychological pathways
Her EAR framework: Educate, Assess, Respond
Arnsten (Yale) on chronic stress and the prefrontal cortex, and Maslach on community as a driver of burnout 

Tools for this week:

The Weekly Connection Audit: ten minutes, four questions

Mindset: a values check

Support: the two-minute connection

Movement: move with other people

Sleep: poor sleep makes you feel lonelier and look less approachable (Ben Simon and Walker, UC Berkeley)

Try this week: do the audit once, message someone you’re overdue to contact, and share one idea from this episode.

Connect: IG/FB @burnoutrecoverydr | LinkedIn drjobraid Newsletter: The Sunday Long Game https://drjobraid.com/subscribe

Episode 206 kicks off a 10-episode series on connection: with yourself, your colleagues, your patients and your purpose. We start with the brain, because connection is not a nice-to-have for people with spare time. It is biology.
Dr Jo takes you to a women in leadership course in Prato, near Florence, where a values exercise shifted her top values from integrity, growth and fun to connection and courage. Values aren&rsquo;t tattoos. She got clear on her new values in a room full of people.
The research behind why isolation feels like a threat:
<ul>
<li>Eisenberger and Lieberman (UCLA): social exclusion lights up pain-related brain regions James Coan (University of Virginia)&nbsp;social baseline theory: holding the hand of someone close calms the brain&rsquo;s threat response</li>
<li>Julianne Holt-Lunstad (BYU): lacking social connection carries a mortality risk comparable to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, via biological, behavioural and psychological pathways</li>
<li>Her EAR framework: Educate, Assess,&nbsp;Respond</li>
<li>Arnsten (Yale) on chronic stress and the prefrontal cortex, and Maslach on community as a driver of burnout&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Tools for this week:
The Weekly Connection Audit: ten minutes, four questions
Mindset: a values check
Support: the two-minute connection
Movement: move with other people
Sleep: poor sleep makes you feel lonelier and look less approachable (Ben Simon and Walker, UC Berkeley)
Try this week: do the audit once, message someone you&rsquo;re overdue to contact, and share one idea from this episode.
Connect: IG/FB @burnoutrecoverydr | LinkedIn drjobraid Newsletter: The Sunday Long Game https://drjobraid.com/subscribe

Welcome to The Burnout Recovery Podcast, where we're creating a global movement to keep healthcare professionals thriving in the careers they love.

I'm Dr Jo Braid, your host and The Burnout Recovery Doctor. Whether you're a med student just starting out, an allied health professional at the point of care, or a seasoned doctor feeling the weight of the system - this podcast is your lifeline back to sustainable practice.

Here's what I know: when one healthcare professional recovers from burnout and builds a sustainable career, the ripple effect reaches patients, families, colleagues, and communities around the world. That's the power of change where it matters most.

In each episode, you'll discover evidence-based strategies and real-world tools to not just survive healthcare, but to thrive in it. Because the world needs you healthy, energized, and passionate about the work that called you here in the first place.

This isn't just about individual recovery - it's about transforming healthcare from the inside out, one professional at a time.

Ready to be part of the solution? Let's dive in.

Welcome to The Burnout Recovery Podcast, where we're creating a global movement to keep healthcare professionals thriving in the careers they love.
I'm Dr Jo Braid, your host and The Burnout Recovery Doctor. Whether you're a med student just starting out, an allied health professional at the point of care, or a seasoned doctor feeling the weight of the system - this podcast is your lifeline back to sustainable practice.
Here's what I know: when one healthcare professional recovers from burnout and builds a sustainable career, the ripple effect reaches patients, families, colleagues, and communities around the world. That's the power of change where it matters most.
In each episode, you'll discover evidence-based strategies and real-world tools to not just survive healthcare, but to thrive in it. Because the world needs you healthy, energized, and passionate about the work that called you here in the first place.
This isn't just about individual recovery - it's about transforming healthcare from the inside out, one professional at a time.
Ready to be part of the solution? Let's dive in.