In recent years, wellness articles for medical professionals have become nearly ubiquitous, filled with well-meaning advice on meditation, yoga, better sleep habits, and healthy eating. These tips, although valuable, come with one significant downside: They often represent yet another item on an already overwhelming to-do list. The irony of this approach is glaring—an effort to relieve stress becomes a stressor itself. As clinicians, we find ourselves caught in a cycle of trying to do more to feel better, only to end up feeling busier, more burdened, and further from the peace we seek. I propose a paradigm shift: wellness through subtraction rather than addition.

Instead of asking what more we can do, let us consider what we can eliminate. The concept is as simple as it is powerful. By simplifying our lives and minimizing the noise, we make room for genuine wellbeing. This idea isn’t just about one aspect of life; it can touch everything from our diet and possessions to our social circle and thought patterns.

Simplify Your Diet

The modern wellness industry is quick to suggest adding superfoods or complex meal plans. Instead, what if we approached our diet with a lens of minimalism? Begin by eliminating rather than adding. Start with soda and energy drinks—these are high in sugar, calories, and often contribute to the peaks and crashes that deplete energy. Then, consider minimizing your intake of red meat or candy. By eliminating rather than adding, your diet becomes more straightforward and healthier without requiring additional time or planning.

Declutter Your Home and Mind

A surprising aspect of clinician burnout is the subconscious weight of physical clutter. The things we own, the knick-knacks and once-useful items we’ve accumulated, have a way of subtly demanding mental energy. I challenge you to take a hard look at your possessions at home. Could you eliminate 50 percent of them? The answer is likely, “Yes.” By creating space in your physical environment, you create space in your mental environment as well. The result is an unburdened sense of freedom that fosters a clearer, calmer mindset.

Curate Your Social Circle

Just as with your diet and possessions, your social interactions can be refined. Relationships are essential, but not all relationships are beneficial. Some friends, colleagues, or acquaintances add value, support, and positivity to our lives. Others, drain our energy, amplify stress, and breed negativity. For true wellbeing, it is essential to evaluate your social circle and consider minimizing contact with those who do not contribute positively. This process can feel daunting, but the results—reduced social stress and more meaningful relationships—speak for themselves.

Eliminate Social Media

Among all digital decluttering efforts, removing or significantly minimizing social media can have the most profound effect. I believe eliminating social media is huge! Social media often traps us in a cycle of comparison, information overload, and superficial engagement that drains mental energy. The constant scrolling and notification pings are more than distractions; they are active contributors to stress and mental fatigue. By deliberately choosing to illuminate and declutter our digital landscape, we regain control over where we invest our time and focus.

Step Back from the News Cycle

One of the most radical yet effective eliminations is a step back from constant news consumption. This might sound extreme, but it’s worth considering. The news cycle is filled with distressing stories, divisive commentary, and urgent headlines that often do little more than raise anxiety levels. For those of us who need to stay informed, consider an alternative: rely on trusted colleagues or friends for summaries or important updates. This practice keeps you informed without subjecting you to an endless stream of negativity or wasting time that could be spent on restorative activities.

The Power of Mental Inaction

This approach to wellbeing extends beyond the tangible; it applies to our internal world as well. Our thoughts can often become the most toxic clutter. We replay negative memories, anticipate future stressors, or harbor resentments that eat away at our peace. By practicing the mental discipline of elimination—choosing to stop revisiting harmful memories or reacting to minor irritations—we can reclaim significant mental space. This shift, like any habit, becomes more natural with time. It is an act of conscious inaction that eventually becomes second nature.

The beauty of eliminating rather than adding is that it saves time, energy, and mental bandwidth. It is the default state of doing nothing instead of everything, of consciously removing rather than compulsively collecting. It isn’t passive; it is proactive in its simplicity. When you stop filling your life with unnecessary extras, you discover a richer quality of life with less.

Your Challenge

I challenge you to give it a try. What can you remove from your daily routine, diet, home, or thoughts to create space for authentic wellness? If you find success, or even if you struggle, I’d love to hear from you. This is an ongoing conversation about what truly works for clinicians looking to not just survive but thrive.

Dr. Hazan is a practicing emergency physician with more than 20 years of clinical experience. He is the senior vice president of Envision Physician Services and the author of seven novels and 40 articles. Contact him at: Alberto.Hazan@EnvisionHealth.com.