keep calm and work on

smiling in the eye of the storm
yesterday was very busy — i didn’t leave the hospital until 7:30 pm! typical for your average surgery resident (at least the one i live with); not so much for moi. but i am happy to report that there was no misery involved, which means . . . i must like my job. hooray!

today promises similar challenges: while our inpatient team typically has one patient (if any!), we currently have 3. i already have two potential new consults in the wings, and god-knows-how-many patients to follow up on. i have a research proposal to work on. and i have studying to do.

but i still like it.

the biggest thing i want to be careful of is becoming so overwhelmed and tired that i just can’t like it anymore. i don’t want to wish for the weekend every week. i want to live every day.

5 simple rules to help me accomplish this:
✰ one thing at a time. sure, the pager will go off. by necessity, focus will have to shift. but that doesn’t preclude finding focus flow in each task as i am doing it.

✰ smile. if nothing else, it will serve as a reminder that i’m doing exactly what i wanted to be doing! and lightness can be powerful and contagious. just ask ms. rubin.

✰ avoid watching the clock. seriously, i’m lucky enough that at this point in my life, there are no kids to care whether i get home at 5:30 or 7. and josh NEVER beats me home! so there is no reason to bristle just because some days last longer than others. (working out in the morning is somewhat a part of this rule because that way there is nothing to rush to or cram in at the end of the work day!)

✰ eat. there is no reason i cannot take 15 minutes to eat lunch. my patients may be ketotic, but i don’t have to be!!

✰ avoid rushing and take the time to do what i need to do to stay organized. keeping the loose ends in a format that makes them doable is 80 million times easier and more pleasant than trying to untangle a web of mystery later on.

any rules to add to this list that you try to follow? i’d love to read them!

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7.19.10

workout: 5 miles in CH, average 8:55/mi. whatever the reason, this run just felt GOOD.

ED & BV: i took a break from my magazine cookthrough (actually, i might declare myself done — i’ve pretty much made most of the jul/aug issue recipes and i’m not as excited about the ones left!) to whip up a super-easy dinner from the incredibly popular vegan cookbook by dreena burton.

goddess garbanzos are quick, easy, and healthy — and they make a nice dinner topping a salad (with an obligatory side o’ carbs). i added raisins for a touch of extra sweetness.

board prep: biostats & ethics chapter — check!