Your Charts are Good Enough: One of Many Ways to Find Ease in Medicine

For many women physicians, charting feels like a heavy backpack one must carry around throughout the day. When the shift ends, but the notes linger—overwhelm and exhaustion set in.  We lose the precious time we have that is meant for family, rest, or simply being human. The idea of finishing charts at work can feel impossible.

But what if you made a commitment to stop charting at home? Not just as a productivity hack, but as an act of self-compassion?

Why “No Charting at Home” Matters

Charting at home doesn’t just take up time—it takes up mental space. It keeps you tethered to work when you should be unwinding, and it reinforces the beliefs that you must always be on and you must always be perfect.

You are allowed to set a boundary. You are allowed to reclaim your time. And most importantly, you are allowed to chart imperfectly.

Letting Go of Perfectionism in Notes

Many of us were trained to believe that every chart needs to be thorough, detailed, and 100% defensible. But in reality, most notes don’t need to be perfect—just accurate and complete.

And here’s the key: If you practice good medicine, your chart doesn’t have to be perfect.

Your skills as a physician come from your knowledge, clinical reasoning, and patient care—not the extra five sentences in your MDM or HPI. If your assessment and plan are clear, and you’re providing excellent care, your notes are good enough.

Perfectionism in charting leads to inefficiency and exhaustion. Done is better than perfect.

Self-Compassion When It’s Not Perfect

There will be days when charts spill over. When a busy shift or clinic day makes finishing on time impossible. When you break your “no charting at home” rule.

That doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It just means you’re human.

Instead of self-criticism, try self-compassion:

“Today was tough, but I’m learning and adjusting.”

“I did my best with the time I had.”

“Tomorrow is a new day to try again.”

Be kind to yourself in this process. Charting efficiency isn’t about working harder—it’s about working smarter and giving yourself grace along the way.