Five Minutes to Reset: Mindfulness, Movement, and Burnout Prevention with Dr. David Klemanski

Earlier this year, MGMA Stat polling found that one in three physicians either retired or left their practice in the past year due to burnout, while nearly half of medical group leaders said physician burnout is getting worse. In this episode of the MGMA Insight Podcast Network, host Daniel Williams chats with Dr. David Klemanski, chief of the Division of Psychology and director of postdoctoral training at Cambridge Health Alliance, and a faculty member at Harvard Medical School, to explore how short mindfulness and movement practices may help medical practice workers manage stress before it becomes chronic.

Dr. Klemanski shares findings from a randomized controlled trial conducted with Caravan Wellness, examining whether five- to 10-minute mindfulness or movement interventions can improve stress, emotional regulation, quality of life and motivation. The conversation moves from research design to everyday application, including what to do when a stressful moment hits, why prevention matters, and how busy healthcare professionals can begin building habits before they need them most.

Episode Takeaways

• Stress has shifted from episodic to chronic for many people. Dr. Klemanski notes that stress is no longer something many workers experience in isolated bursts. For clinicians, practice leaders and staff members, stress increasingly functions as a constant overlay on daily life.
• Mindfulness is not about “doing nothing.” Dr. Klemanski defines mindfulness as paying attention in the present moment, on purpose and without judgment. In hectic medical practice environments, that can mean pausing long enough to recognize a worry loop, a reactive emotion or an unhelpful automatic behavior.
• Micro moments can create meaningful behavior change. The study tested brief daily interventions, typically around 10 minutes, using mindfulness practices or guided physical movement. Participants who engaged with these short practices showed improvements in stress, anxiety, emotional regulation, quality of life and motivation.
• The study compared mindfulness, movement and a control group. Participants were randomly assigned to mindfulness activities, physical movement activities or a wait-list control group. The goal was to examine whether brief wellness practices could produce measurable change over time.
• Motivation matters when building healthier habits. One of the study’s notable findings was that people who practiced these micro-interventions often became more motivated to continue wellness-oriented behaviors. Dr. Klemanski emphasized that this habit formation is central to longer-term sustainability.
• The best time to learn mindfulness is before a crisis moment. Dr. Klemanski cautions that trying to learn mindfulness in the middle of an emotional storm is difficult. Practicing during calmer moments helps train the brain so the skill is available when stress, rumination or frustration rises.
• Movement can be a mindfulness practice too. For people who struggle with seated meditation, movement-based practices such as stretching, yoga, light exercise, cardio or resistance training can offer similar benefits. The key is being intentional and present rather than simply checking out.
• Technology can either distract or support regulation. Daniel and Dr. Klemanski discuss the common reflex to scroll through a phone during small pockets of downtime, such as standing in line. Wellness apps may help redirect that impulse toward a more restorative use of those same few minutes.

Resources

• Connect with Dr. David Klemanski on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Caravan Wellness
• Learn more about Harvard Medical School
• "Staying vigilant against physician burnout: Is progress being made?" (MGMA Stat article)
• "Can focusing on burnout cause more burnout?" (MGMA Insight article)
• "Addressing clinician burnout with a focus on their calling to medicine" (MGMA Stat article)
• MGMA Insights Podcast Network

Email us at dwilliams@mgma.com if you would like to appear on an episode. If you have a question about your practice that you would like us to answer, send an email to advisor@mgma.com. Don't forget to subscribe to our network wherever you get your podcasts!

This episode is sponsored by ModMed.
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