Several doctors we have worked with this year have unexpectedly and suddenly faced a period of not working. Sometimes this is due to job loss through restructure, suspension from current duties or unplanned leave taken because of burnout or an untenable work environment. Regardless of the circumstance, this sudden loss is traumatic.
It is traumatic because it ruptures daily life and violates some fundamental aspects of how we engage with the world. We rely on certainty and predictability, identity, connection to others and working within a fair and just organisation. A sudden change disrupts all these things, shaking our sense of certainty, identity, connectedness and fairness. When this rupture includes a requirement to not contact current colleagues and occurs without a clear reason or rationale provided at the time, it is even more destabilising.
Work is a huge part of our lives. Our work gives meaning and purpose, structure, identity and social connection. When it is suddenly absent, it is a shock to all the everyday systems we have built and maintained for years, sometimes decades. The next day you suddenly have nowhere to be, and in many cases you are not allowed to go there or have contact with colleagues. Jarring to say the least.
It is not easy to suddenly have so much time. It does not feel like free time because it isn’t. It is not the extra time you may have wished for with friends and family. It is simply the space left behind by what has been taken away.
This short article shares why these times are hard and what can help. Advice and support from HR and workplace relations can be an important part of the support network however there is still a lot of time to fill in the days and weeks while a suspension, job search or recovery from burnout takes place.
Why is this time so hard and so emotionally draining?
The sudden rupture to work and to ‘the way things were’ is a shock when it happens and it marks the start of a period of transition. Transitions are hard and harder still when they were not desired or intended on your part.
Psychologists and social theorists often describe transitions as ‘in-between’ or ‘liminal’ spaces. These spaces are unsettling because they sit between what was and what will be. When the future is uncertain and some distance away it feels even harder. It is the discomfort in the transitioning from letting go of what has been, with all the loss, grief and anger that may come with that, and in trying to look ahead to what might be next. While that future may be positive in theory, it can be difficult to see when you are in the emotional overload and confusion of sudden change.
“The word liminal comes from the Latin word “threshold”. A threshold is a door or gap between two spaces. So, the origins of the term (etymology – comes from the Latin origin) is literally: “a threshold between two other spaces”.[1]
Common examples of these transitions include a relationship break-up, a change in job or a change in life phase, such as the shift from university to work or from having children at home to an empty nest.
The hard part is both the loss and the not knowing about what happens next. The loss is of what was, including the job and the identity that came with it. When you step out of work or a workplace, even for a short time, that identity feels less secure. The uncertainty about the current situation and about what comes next is also deeply destabilising. Not knowing - the process or the timeline, for example, makes it hard to plan your time and next steps.
What can we do?
There is no simple answer here. Navigating these spaces takes time and the passing of time brings its own challenges. There is also the time that any relevant process may take, such as a complaint being tabled and investigated, and it has become clear to us this year how long and murky this can be.
It is also difficult to find clear headspace or any reprieve from the discomfort when HR and Workplace Relations processes require information, meetings and emails, constantly bringing the issue and its associated pain to the forefront.
Doctors’ health support services recommend connecting with trusted friends and others. Reaching out and sharing what is happening with at least one other person as soon as you can is important. Our social relationships and connections are protective factors.
These support services in Victoria include VDHP and our Peer Support Service (contact details below). They provide specialised support from people who understand medicine and who are familiar with these situations.
Talking with others helps, whether that is close contacts in your personal life or support services in your professional life. This is why these services exist and there is no shame in reaching out. Talking with others helps us process what has happened and our reactions to it. As we share our experiences again, and with different people, we get help to clarify our thinking and feelings and identify our needs and next steps. With new and difficult issues, it is often too overwhelming to do this alone and the risk of ruminating and isolating yourself is very real. Do not try to get through this transition time alone. Reach out.
We live in a culture where the questions ‘what do you do?’ or ‘how’s work?’ arise early in conversation. When work is a source of distress this can be hard to navigate day to day. If this piece resonates with you or with a colleague, consider getting in touch with VDHP or our Peer Support Service and make time in the next few days to do so.
Dr Anna Clark (PhD).
AMA Victoria Leadership Coach and Educator
Doctor Support Services
VDHP – The Victorian Doctors Health Program (VDHP) is a free, confidential service for doctors and medical students who have health concerns such as stress, mental health problems, substance use problems, or any other health issues.
References:
[1 ] https://hbr.org/2018/07/learn-to-get-better-at-transitions
[2] https://hbr.org/2023/11/why-career-transition-is-so-hard
[3] https://hbr.org/2022/07/reeling-from-a-sudden-job-loss-heres-how-to-start-healing
[4] https://helpfulprofessor.com/liminal-space/
Dr Anna Clark (PhD) delivers AMA Victoria’s 6 and 12 month Leadership education and Leadership coaching programs. If you would like to find out more about our leadership development offerings, schedule a discovery call or email [email protected].