Physician families do not need a "perfect" division of labor, they need a realistic one. In Part 2 of our Fair Play conversation, we move from concepts into application and talk about how to make the Fair Play framework work when medicine does not cooperate with routines, predictability, or a normal workweek.

We name the reality that 60, 70, 80-hour weeks are not "flexible hours," and also the important question that follows: when the physician is home, what happens during those hours? We talk about the difference between needing to decompress (human) and becoming consistently unavailable for household participation (a dynamic that slowly breaks trust).

From there, we get practical about "cards" and ownership, specifically: what responsibilities can a busy physician genuinely own from start to finish, and how do you choose those in a way that reduces resentment instead of creating more?

• The "reality check" of physician schedules, and why fairness cannot look like a simple 50/50 split

• The nuance of being physically home, but mentally and emotionally tapped out

• Decompression vs chronic unavailability, and why that distinction matters

• How to decide which Fair Play "cards" a physician can truly own

• Practical criteria for picking responsibilities that work in physician life:

  • tasks with flexible timing

  • tasks aligned with the physician's interests/strengths

  • tasks where their unique input really matters

• Examples of "physician-owned" commitments that can work even with changing rotations (like a consistent weekly tradition, kids' activities, or bedtime on specific days)

Next, we'll hear from each of our spouses about the process from their perspective, what was harder than expected, what helped, and what changed.

• Fair Play by Eve Rodsky

• Instagram: @supportingphysicianspouses

• Email: hello@supportingphysicianspouses.com

When one partner is working 60, 70, 80+ hours a week, it is easy to default into, "I'll just handle everything at home." On the surface, it looks supportive. Over time, it often turns into resentment, disconnection, and a physician who feels like a guest in their own home, while the at-home partner feels like they can never step away from being the household CEO.

In Part 1 of our Fair Play series, we break down the core ideas from Fair Play by Eve Rodsky, and translate the framework into the reality of physician family life. This episode is about the concepts and language you need before you can make anything practical.

• Why "I'll do it all" starts as love, and ends as resentment

• How control can quietly become the coping strategy (and why it costs you)

• The invisible work that drains you most: planning, remembering, anticipating

• Why "Can you help with…" keeps one partner as the manager, and the other as the assistant

• The Fair Play card deck concept: making the invisible labor visible

• The game-changing framework: conception to completion

• The conversation most couples skip: defining the minimum standard of care

• A key reframe for physician families: fair does not mean equal, and all time matters

• Resentment is often a signal that a pattern no longer fits, and you do not know how to get out of it yet.

• Doing "everything" at home can unintentionally push the physician partner out of meaningful contribution at home.

• Ownership is different than helping. Ownership means the task is fully yours, without being asked, reminded, or managed.

• "Good enough" has to be defined. Otherwise, everyone is guessing, and conflict is inevitable.

• In physician families, the workload may never be 50/50, but value can still be equal.

Do you believe your time is equal to your physician spouse's time?

• Episode 34: Applying Fair Play to physician family life (how this can work with call, rotations, and unpredictable schedules)

• Then, in epsidoe 35 and 36, we'll bring in both of our spouses to share what the process felt like from their perspective, including the messy parts and what actually helped.

• Fair Play by Eve Rodsky

• Instagram: @supportingphysicianspouses

• Email: hello@supportingphysicianspouses.com

If you're married to a physician, the "New Year, new you" pressure can feel extra exhausting, especially when your life is already running on a high-demand schedule. In this episode, Kendra and Katie offer you something better than resolutions: permission to honor your current season and work with your real energy, not an arbitrary calendar date.

• Why January 1 can be a terrible "starting line" (and why nature is resting when we're told to sprint)

• The seasons framework, using a farming metaphor:

  • Winter: planning, rest, reflection

  • Spring: gentle planting, experimentation

  • Summer: consistent growth and maintenance

  • Fall: harvesting wins, celebrating, completing the cycle

• Why your seasons do not have to match the calendar, and how you can be in different seasons in different areas of life

• The simplest way to identify your current season:

  • What is your energy actually like right now?

  • Does starting something new feel exciting or exhausting?

• Real-life examples from Kendra and Katie about where they are right now, and what they're choosing to say yes to, and no to

• A practical way to answer the "What are your New Year's resolutions?" question without over-explaining

• A reflection prompt to help you align this week with what you truly need

What does my season need from me right now?

Next week, we're talking about what the principles of Fair Play can look like in physician families.

Interested in Coaching with Kendra?

Schedule your interview with Kendra at https://itgetsbetternow.com/work-with-me/

• Follow on Instagram: @supportingphysicianspouses

• Have an episode idea? Email us: hello@supportingphysicianspouses.com

• If this episode resonated, please leave a review. It helps more physician spouses find the show.