But Aren't You Doing Too Much?

I can’t count the number of times someone has looked at my calendar and asked, half in awe and half in concern: “But why are you doing so much?”

From the outside, my schedule looks crowded. Between my main role in academic medicine, leadership commitments, committee work, writing, coaching, and speaking engagements, it can look like I’m constantly moving from one obligation to the next. To an external observer, it may seem counterintuitive—especially for someone who talks often about well-being and balance. Shouldn’t I be modeling “less” instead of “more”?

That’s a fair question. And at times in my career, the answer has been complicated. Like many in healthcare, I have fallen into the trap of saying yes too quickly—agreeing to projects, committees, or opportunities that didn’t align with my deeper goals or that drained my energy more than they filled it. Those yeses, in hindsight, were often driven by guilt, pressure, or fear of missing out. They didn’t necessarily move me forward. They just left me stretched thin.

But in recent years, I’ve been more intentional. The things that remain on my calendar—the things that make it look “too full”—are no longer just extra checkboxes. They are choices. They are aligned with both my purpose and with the goals I am trying to achieve in my main work. They may add hours, but they also add joy, meaning, and sustainability to my career.

And that’s the paradox I want to explore: sometimes doing more is not the problem. Doing more of the right things can actually make all the difference.

When “Too Much” Feels Like Exactly Enough

Recently, I left a board meeting and headed straight into a busy stretch of presentations, workshops, and writing deadlines. The kind of month that might look overwhelming on paper. And I’ll admit—there were moments when I looked at my calendar and thought, What was I thinking?

But then, I showed up.

I walked into rooms filled with colleagues who care deeply about the same challenges I do. I listened as they shared stories of struggle—stories that mirrored my own. I heard creative solutions, practical strategies, and honest reflections about what’s hard in healthcare right now. And I left feeling… lighter. Encouraged. Re-energized.

That’s the hidden truth about the things that “fill” my schedule: they also fill me. They connect me to people who get it, who understand the unique pressures of medicine, and who remind me that I’m not carrying those pressures alone.

These so-called “extras” are not distractions from my main work. They are what make my main work possible.

Alignment Is Everything

The difference between draining busyness and energizing fullness comes down to alignment.

When I say yes to things that don’t align with my values or purpose, I feel scattered and resentful. I’m doing “so much,” but it feels like it costs me more than it gives back.

When I say yes to things that do align, the opposite happens. Even when my plate is full, I feel energized rather than depleted. Instead of draining me, these commitments sustain me. They give me the perspective, community, and creativity that I can’t always find within the walls of my main job.

This alignment is why, for example, I’ve chosen to stay involved in professional organizations, leadership roles, and teaching opportunities beyond my primary role. Those spaces allow me to contribute in ways that my day-to-day clinic or academic work doesn’t. They allow me to advocate for change, share lessons across institutions, and build networks that make me a better physician, educator, and leader.

Yes, they take time. But they also give time back in a different form—by making my core work feel more sustainable and meaningful in the long run.

The Ripple Effect on Well-Being

Enjoying a New City

One of the misconceptions about well-being is that it always requires subtraction: cut back, say no, lighten the load. And sometimes that is exactly what’s needed. If you’re overwhelmed and burned out, the first step often is to step back.

But subtraction isn’t the only strategy. Well-being also comes from addition—adding the right supports, the right communities, and the right sources of joy.

When I attend a board meeting, I don’t just get updates and action items. I get perspective. I get early insights into strategies that I can bring back to my own program. I get encouragement from peers who are wrestling with the same obstacles. And I bring all of that back to my team at home.

The ripple effect is real: when leaders are more fulfilled, more connected, and more inspired, the teams they lead benefit, too. Happier leaders create healthier workplaces. A sense of belonging and shared purpose radiates outward.

So when someone asks why I’m doing “so much,” part of my answer is this: it’s not just for me. It’s for the people I lead, teach, and work alongside.

Guardrails and Hard Lessons

Of course, none of this means I say yes to everything. Learning to create guardrails has been essential.

There are still opportunities that come my way that are not the right fit—maybe they duplicate work I’m already doing, maybe they pull me too far from my family, or maybe they simply don’t align with where I want to grow. I’ve had to practice saying no, even when it feels uncomfortable, and trust that the right things will come back around.

I’ve also had to learn the difference between temporary busyness and chronic overload. A busy season is survivable—even energizing—if it’s filled with aligned, purposeful work. But a chronically overcrowded life, where there’s no space for reflection, rest, or connection, is not.

That’s why I build in regular pauses to step back, re-evaluate, and ask myself:

• Does this still align with my purpose?

• Is this adding energy or draining it?

• Am I saying yes for the right reasons—or out of guilt or fear?

• How is this impacting the people closest to me?

Those questions keep me honest. They keep me from sliding back into old patterns of overcommitment.

So, Why Am I Doing So Much?

The truth is: I’m not doing “so much.” I’m doing what matters.

And yes, that still looks like a lot on paper. But when the work you choose aligns with your purpose, brings joy, connects you to community, and strengthens your core commitments, it doesn’t feel like too much. It feels like enough.

In a time when healthcare feels increasingly chaotic, when burnout is high and morale is low, these purposeful “extras” are not luxuries. They are lifelines. They are what keep me moving forward with hope, with creativity, and with the resilience to keep doing the work I love.

So the next time someone asks me why I’m doing so much, I think I’ll smile and answer:

Because this is how I stay whole. Because this is how I stay here.