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Staying resilient for you, your patients and your family
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It seems that it is getting tougher to “stay resilient” in these challenging times. The paperwork and demands to work harder and harder appear to be increasing monthly. I have found that going “back to the basics” to be really helpful. By this I mean staying close to my Higher Power, prioritizing my relationships, especially with my wife, and developing a healthy self nurturance.
With increasing insurance intrusion, it seems more difficult to practice without restraint. However, when I try to stay close to a Higher Power and moral center, my actions bring me peace. Doing the “right thing” for my patients is sometimes difficult. Yet I find that these hard moments to honor my patients’ well being bring me more satisfaction than any other approach.
I decide every day to make my marriage the most important relationship on this earth. I find that my daily decision brings forth good results. Every opportunity that is presented to me is now framed in the context of my marriage. If a commitment will cause too much separation from my wife, I tend to decline it.
I nurture myself by trying not to cheat too much on sleep. If I am not on-call I will try not to set my alarm on weekends. We cannot outsmart Mother Nature … our bodies need restful sleep – period. Without rest we are more prone to chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and Alzheimer’s. I eat whole foods – especially during OR days, and get some exercise in about 5 days a week.
How about you? What do you do to stay resilient?