I am really passionate about my work with patients, but stress still creeps in. And when I get overwhelmed, the first thing I think about is time off. I think ahead to dinnertime, gardening on Saturday, or Christmas with the family. Judging by the numbers on healthcare provider burnout, I'm not alone. 

So it would be logical to assume that cutting work hours would also cut dissatisfaction, stress, and healthcare provider burnout. But a new study out of South Korea shows just the opposite. When the work week was slashed by 10%, job and life satisfaction didn't shift, even over a 10-year period.

It seems that working less didn't help people feel a great sense of well-being. 

Over here at ClickCare, this really resonated with us. While we're certainly no proponents of "workaholism", we believe that it is better, more collaborative, more satisfying work environments that we need as healthcare providers -- not just fewer hours. We've found that the keys to lessening burnout are simple but fundamental: more medical collaboration, good relationships with our colleagues, and real connections with patients. 

Robert Rudolf, an assistant professor of economics at Korea University in Seoul, summarized his thoughts on the findings in this way: "[Having a sense of] higher personal freedom about their work ... will make workers both happier and more productive.” And we've found just the same -- when we're free to do our best work, we also end up doing our happiest work. 

Curious whether medical collaboration could help with burnout? Get our quick-guide here: