149: Sabbaticals aren’t just for academics anymore | PTO series part 4

When was the last time someone just listened to you? Not to fix, not to advise, not to tell you to calm down—just to witness you.   It doesn’t happen. We love our spouses, but they’ll just try to solve the problem. Your boss’ll tell you what to do. Your sister will interrupt to tell you her gripe. Nothing wrong with our spouses, boss, and sister AND ALSO….   When we’re not heard, the stress compounds and the anxiety heightens. Our bodies carry the weight in our jaws, shoulders, and chest.    Over time, this constant “always on” mode costs us mental clarity, sleep, energy, our health, and before we know it we’ve gained 30 pounds from emotional eating.   In this week’s episode I introduce the radical concept of listening partnerships. Here’s what they give you: Release the crushing weight of endless charts, family logistics, and the demands of a relentless job in UNDER 5 minutes. Focus at work to quickly move through your day and leave by 4 p.m. without taking the stress home. Show up at dinner fully present, not replaying patient cases in your head.   In this episode, I walk you step-by-step through setting up a 5-minute listening partnership this week.  No cost, no training, no therapy degree required.  Just two people and a timer.   Try it this week and tell me everything! Christina   ➡️PS. If this podcast helped you, would you please consider giving this podcast a 5-star review with a comment? This helps your favorite podcast platform promote our podcast to more brilliant humans just like yourself. It would mean the world to  me.

Right now, many of us are running on empty. Work doesn’t slow down, kids’ schedules are chaotic, and the holidays are closing in. When reserves run this low, everything feels sharp and hard. Small things turn into big crises. I'm sure feeling it.   Doing it all alone is what we’re used to—but it makes everything worse.   In this week’s podcast, I share a strategy I’ve never talked about before: Girlfriend Project—your hidden productivity hack to supercharge your energy right now. Here’s what you get: Fewer fights with husband and kids because you have your energy back Better sleep tonight because you’re not fighting with your boss in your head all night long Ability to move through a chaotic day and to-do list without coming home feeling totally spent Refueled reserves so hard days don’t wound you A stronger marriage and more connection with your kids because you’re not running on fumes Project Friendship doesn’t take more time—it multiplies your time, energy, and capacity. Running on empty? Listen now to discover the productivity hack no one’s talking about.  Reply back and tell me all about your Girlfriend Project! Christina💗   ➡️PS. If this podcast helped you, could you please share it with 5 women physicians who’d love to recharge? Let’s change the world together.   ➡️PPS. If this is the work you want to do, you can get started in my coaching program THIS WEEK. We can even show you how to get your boss to pay! Get your free 1:1 sales call HERE. https://app.squarespacescheduling.com/schedule/bd3b6a3c/appointment/33598962/calendar/5849920

Sabbaticals have broken out of academia. In 2025, hospitals, tech firms, and even private practices are paying physicians to step away—because they know the doctor who returns refreshed, skilled, and connected is the one who drives revenue, boosts retention, and avoids costly burnout mistakes.   Done right, your sabbatical isn’t time off—it’s a million-dollar career accelerator. You come back bullet-proof, promoted, and having celebrated the best year of your life YET.   Here’s what I cover in this week’s podcast: The Onion Negotiation Strategy: What to say (and when) to secure paid time off, even in private practice CV Magic: How to list your sabbatical so it screams "promote me" The 12 x 12 Method: Design your best birthday YEAR, not just a day Power Moves: Reverse Sabbatical, Geographic Arbitrage, Skills Stack Approach Case Studies: From rural practice to Australia—real docs, real results Action Plan: 5 moves to start planning your paid sabbatical right now   👉 [Listen now: Sabbaticals Aren’t Just for Academics in 2025]   This is the year you stop leaving million-dollar opportunities on the table. Reply back and tell me your sabbatical dream! Christina   ➡️PS. If this podcast helped you, could you please share it with 5 women physicians who’d love to have a paid sabbatical? Let’s change the world together.   ➡️PPS. If this is the work you want to do, you can get started in my coaching program THIS WEEK. We can even show you how to get your boss to pay! Get your free 1:1 sales call HERE. https://app.squarespacescheduling.com/schedule/bd3b6a3c/appointment/33598962/calendar/5849920

The world feels heavy, chaotic, and overwhelming right now. I felt it myself—I woke up from one of the most disturbing nightmares of my life. Behind the scenes, my private clients have been asking for support on how to stay grounded during this relentless news cycle. I created a brand-new training for them and I shared it at the top of my weekly group call. Here's a clip of the call so you get this brand new training, too.  Here’s what you’ll get inside: ✅One question to instantly calm your panic ✅How to ruthlessly detox the noise that wrecks your focus ✅A simple way to curate your circle so you’re no longer absorbing other people’s chaos ✅The 5:60 rule that interrupts hours of doom scrolling and sleepless nights ✅A redefined meaning of “responsible citizenship” that puts your health first Your inputs determine your outputs. Choose wisely. 🎧 [Listen to the episode now] 💗Reply back and tell me everything! Christina ➡️PS. Can I ask a favor? If this podcast helped you, could you please share it with 5 women physicians needing support with these heart-breaking times? Let’s change the world together. ➡️PPS. If this is the work you want to do, you can get started in my coaching program THIS WEEK. We can even show you how to get your boss to pay! Get your free 1:1 sales call HERE. https://app.squarespacescheduling.com/schedule/bd3b6a3c/appointment/33598962/calendar/5849920   🎯 The 5:60 Reset Quick Reference: Calm When The World is on Fire 1. Ask Your Body: "What do I need right now?"  2. Detox Your Inputs: No news alerts, scary movies, punk rock, curate your people 3. Anchor in Now: "In this moment, I am safe" 4. Give yourself all the time you need: slow down, take naps, walks, fresh air, movement, water 5. Redefine Responsibility: Protecting your mental health IS responsible citizenship 🔑 Remember: 5 minutes of doom-scrolling = 1 hour of nervous system repair needed

True story: when I had my C-section, I only got two weeks off.  That experience taught me the most important lesson of my career: if you don’t know the policies in writing, you’ll lose benefits you already earned.   In this podcast episode, I break down exactly how physicians can stop leaving benefits on the table and design maternity leave that actually works. Here’s what you’ll hear: ➡️The GOLDEN RULE that keeps you from losing weeks of paid time off ➡️How to EXTEND maternity to 6 months without breaking policy ➡️PTO stacking, CME days, and flexible options for additional MONTHS of recovery ➡️Phased returns, flex schedule, and call considerations you MUST know about ➡️Simple scripts for telling your boss AND extending your approved maternity leave ➡️How to handle the guilt, the gossip, and the complaints that always come up Maternity leave isn’t a luxury—it’s a built-in expectation of the system. You are SUPPOSED to use it. In this episode find out how to maximize your paid time off while protecting your career and strengthening your work relationships. Listen now to get the Maternity Leave you've already earned. 💗Reply back and tell me everything! Christina ➡️PS. If this is the work you want to do, you can get started in my coaching program THIS WEEK. We can even show you how to get your boss to pay! Get your free 1:1 sales call HERE. https://app.squarespacescheduling.com/schedule/bd3b6a3c/appointment/33598962/calendar/5849920

Medicine will do you dirty UNLESS you have this PTO Playbook: 10 Hacks Every Physician Needs to Know. Ask me how I know… I worked through a GI bug to not burden colleagues by taking a sick day. I didn’t know I could take paid time off for my 8 year old daughter’s surgery. My Chair threatened to not let me use my PTO.   Here’s what you get in this week’s Paid Time Off Series podcast episode 🔥 The $25K mistake and how to turn it into your 5-Figure Exit Bonus 🔥 How to take 2 PTO days and turn it into a full WEEK off 🔥 How to take bougie paid family vacations without using PTO 🔥 How to double your vacations this year without losing RVUs 🔥 How to MULTIPLY your PTO with CME combos, holiday stacking, & shift trading 🔥  PTO Sprints and Expert Accrual Strategies 🔥 How my boss did me dirty and how you’ll never get played like that   🎯Your Chair isn’t going to tell you this. HR doesn’t want you to know. It’s all in this one episode!   💗Reply back and tell me everything! Christina ➡️PS. If this is the work you want to do, you can get started in my coaching program THIS WEEK. We can even show you how to get your boss to pay! Get your free 1:1 sales call HERE. https://app.squarespacescheduling.com/schedule/bd3b6a3c/appointment/33598962/calendar/5849920

📅Welcome to our new series on how to get Paid Time Off.  👀I'm revealing everything you’ve never heard about how to get work-life balance WITHOUT having to ask your boss, change a hospital policy, or sneak out. 💥With today’s podcast episode, you can get up to 25 hours back THIS WEEK. That’s 1,200 bonus hours THIS YEAR. More family dinners.  EIGHT MONTHS of paid vacation over a decade. 18.5 YEARS over your career.   Here’s what you get in this week’s episode: ➡️How I made $100/hour as a college student in the 1990s with no training or expertise—and how the same principle applies to physicians right now. ➡️The 6 key strategies I used to cut back to part time hours at all three of my fulltime physician jobs. This has helped countless women physicians. ➡️5 journal prompts that open up your schedule TODAY   🎯Pick ONE strategy today. See results TODAY. You don’t need to be a senior leader, admin, teacher to finally have work-life balance. You don’t need your boss’ permission. You JUST need this podcast episode.   💎Can I please ask you for a favor? Could you please share this podcast with your 5 favorite women in your life who'd love to be working less, too?    Try one strategy and tell me everything! Christina   PS. If this is the work you want to do, you can get started in my coaching program THIS WEEK. We can even show you how to get your boss to pay! Get your free 1:1 sales call HERE. https://app.squarespacescheduling.com/schedule/bd3b6a3c/appointment/33598962/calendar/5849920

🚨LISTEN RIGHT NOW FOR THE SPECIAL 48 HOUR BONUS | $100K PRIVATE CALL!🚨 Women docs-- When my Chair threatened to fire me, I didn’t spin out – I negotiated. I kept my job, dropped call & frozen sections (worsts part of my job ever), eliminated RVU pressure, got a new leadership title, extra funding, and full support. I turned this crisis into the best physician job that’s every existed AND built a stronger relationship with my boss in the process. You don’t need to wait 10 years until you're promoted. You don’t need a nicer boss. You don’t need to “do your time.” 📢The only thing between you and your dream job is expert negotiation skills developed exclusively for women physicians. Get everything you need to protect your career, income, and family's financial future on this free podcast episode: 6 figure raise, 5 figure bonus, 4 day workweek: Top negotiations strategies exclusively for women physicians—no matter your practice setting, specialty, or zip code. You'll leave with all this.... ✅The Top 10 negotiation mistakes women physicians make—and exactly how to prevent them ✅How to get the Yes without jeopardizing your physician contract ✅Steal my script– get my 5-part Negotiations script that makes your boss excited to say YES ✅Negotiate like a Pro-Athlete by leveraging counteroffers   🎟️Listen NOW to keep your career safe in ANY economy, with ANY boss, no matter your specialty, zip code, or experience level (plus you can unlock a special 48-hour $100k bonus!).   💎Can I please ask you for a favor? Could you please share this podcast with your 5 favorite women physicians? THIS is how we solve the gender pay gap in our lifetimes. Check out this week’s podcast to get your 6-figure raise before 2026! Enjoy! Christina   PS. Prefer to watch the video? Check it out here: https://youtu.be/psguUOf-xy4   PPS. DOORS ARE OPEN TO NEXT LEVEL FREEDOM FOR THE NEXT 7 DAYS. This is the last chance to join until 2026. Join today to ethically cut back to part time hours at your full time job WITHOUT a pay cut. We can even show you how to get your boss to pay! Full access starts immediately and you'll be on our next group call just a few days away! Join HERE: https://christinaarnoldcoaching.com/next-level-freedom. 

Every hospital has a salary ceiling.  It doesn’t matter if you’re the department workhorse, the highest RVU generator, your boss’s favorite, the national expert, or the one with all the papers… EVEN IF you invented one pill that cures cancer, dementia, obesity, and depression, you won’t get paid 1 penny more… At some point, you’ll hit the salary ceiling and the job won’t even keep up with inflation. Your schedule will erode. Your job will deteriorate. Not because of you or your boss. But because every system has built-in limits. In this week’s podcast you get the playbook to override any institutional limits PLUS my behind the scenes story of how I created THREE dream job offers in a couple of conversations without formally applying.  This week you learn how to negotiate like a pro-athelete. Pro athletes don’t wait around hoping for better contracts. They CREATE better contracts.  When following this process, the wins are pro-athlete level too– MILLIONS of dollars, dream schedules, no call, 6-figure raises and signing bonuses. BUT, this process done wrong can backfire bigtime. Don’t DYI this. Here’s what you get in this week’s podcast  episode: 💸When to use this strategy and when to NOT use this strategy 💸How to maximize rewards and eliminate risks 💸How to break through your institution’s ceiling without more RVUs 💸Use competing offers to ethically create unprecedented raises and better schedules 💸How I created 3 DREAM  offers without formally applying anywhere   📝 JOURNAL PROMPTS Am I willing to move from my center? If no—don’t proceed on this strategy (and we still have so many negotiating options!).. If yes—keep going… How can I make this a win-win no matter what? What outcome would feel good whether I stay or go? What are my priority goals and values? What would my dream day look like—hour by hour? Be specific: salary, schedule, clinical time, admin time, team support, leadership roles, coaching opportunities, location, commute, childcare, anything else that deeply matters to you. What are three jobs that could meet these needs today?   What would make you excited to stay at your current job? Write it all down—salary, schedule, office setup, protected time, promotion, support, title, role clarity.   💎Can I please ask you for a favor? Could you please share this podcast with your 5 favorite women physicians? THIS is how we solve the gender pay gap in our lifetimes. Your career will either grow on purpose…Or it will decline by default. Let’s make sure it grows. Check out this week’s podcast to Negotiate like a pro-athlete.   Enjoy! Christina   PS. Prefer the video version of this podcast? Check it out HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sYXR4OYing PPS. We have a brand new Negotiations Masterclass coming on how to get a 6-figure raises, 5-figure bonuses, 4-day weeks- SIGNUP HERE NOW! https://yourpathinfocus.showit.site/ PPPS. If this is the work you want to do, you can get started in my coaching program THIS WEEK. We can even show you how to get your boss to pay! Get your free 1:1 sales call HERE. https://app.squarespacescheduling.com/schedule/bd3b6a3c/appointment/33598962/calendar/5849920

If you don’t know how to Negotiate, you’ll soon see the male fellow you trained hired at a higher salary than you. Ask me how I know…. He had no experience. No leadership positions. He showed every hard case to me. I was his attending with lots of papers, books, leadership, experience. And he got hired at a higher base salary than me. PS. I don’t fault him– GOOD FOR HIM! The solution isn’t to underpay fellows (of course not!), the solution is we must NOT stop negotiating as you progress to senior faculty.   Don’t assume because you’re working hard that you’re paid well. Don’t assume because your boss is nice that she’s paying you fairly. Don’t assume because your boss is a women that she’s looking out for you. None of this was true for me.    I learned that excellent work doesn’t mean top pay UNLESS you know how to negotiate. I learned “nice” bosses can do you dirty UNLESS you know how to negotiate. I also know “mean” bosses can work with you to create the best jobs…because an amazing job has everything to do with your Negotiation skills and nothing to do with your boss’ mood.   In this week’s training you get the behind the scenes story no one is talking about: 3-tools to protect your salary so this never happens to you How to find out what others earn—even if you’re not at a public university How to ask for a raise using data—not drama What to do when your nice boss does you dirty Why being a top performer is irrelevant unless you know how to Negotiate 📝 JOURNAL PROMPTS Where am I assuming that hard work equals high pay? What data or salary info have I avoided looking at—and why? What would I do differently if I believed my job’s fairness was my responsibility? Who in my circle supports negotiation? Who undermines it? If someone else’s raise raised the standard, how can I use that momentum for myself?   Can I please ask you for a favor? Could you please share this podcast with your 5 favorite women physicians? THIS is how we solve the gender pay gap in our lifetimes.   Click below to listen to the podcast now. Enjoy! Christina   PS. Prefer the video version of this podcast? Check it out HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nF1RjO2yxO8&t=142s PPS. We have a brand new Negotiations Masterclass coming on how to get a 6-figure raises, 5-figure bonuses, 4-day weeks- SIGNUP HERE NOW! https://yourpathinfocus.showit.site/  PPPS. If this is the work you want to do, you can get started in my coaching program THIS WEEK. We can even show you how to get your boss to pay! Get your free 1:1 sales call HERE. https://app.squarespacescheduling.com/schedule/bd3b6a3c/appointment/33598962/calendar/5849920