Here comes the usual pep talk:
I can do this
It’s just 7 days
I will be kind to myself
Every time I get an EpicChat is an opportunity to work on my reaction to things
I am going to try (yet again!) to track my time for the next few weeks to better quantify time spent on various pursuits, AND I will put little notes about how I feel during some of them (whenever I can remember).
On that note, I am off to run. Pix from last weekend @ Fairchild Tropical Gardens when no one was on call:
Oh! And I am determined to get some kind of coaching or therapy set up this month. Working on it. Thank you to all who sent recs!
10 Comments
Good luck with call week! I’m currently muddling through masses of admin, trying to get our study abroad places filled, teaching a brand new course, and trying to make revisions on an article.
Be very very very kind to yourself during this stretch of call! Like nothing besides things that absolutely need to happen. If anything else happens like exercise then so be it! That’s my approach when life is crazy/exhausting – like when our baby was up 3-4 times/night for a couple of months. I was so tired so tried to cut myself some major slack.
Those photos are life giving for me since I’m in the frozen tundra!
Good luck w the call week! I know how stressful that is 🙂 if you find someone you Rec for coaching let us know!
Good luck with call week! I wonder if you could build in some micro-rewards for yourself after calls come in — maybe stepping outside for 5 min, or listening to a favorite song? Or chocolate! It might help to know that something you enjoy and find relaxing is coming right after what you find stressful.
This is a lesson to your residents that call anxiety doesn’t really lessen, even when you’ve been out of training many years. I actually think that excellent doctors maintain the call anxiety more–that’s how you stay on top of things and not let things fall through the cracks. (Whether it’s healthy or not for the physician is another question though)
As a physician, I am noticing that my physician peers on the whole aren’t doing so great right now. Two years of COVID has been a major drain personally and professionally. We were burnout before, and there has been a steady creep of responsibilities, censuses, and very ill patients (whether it’s COVID or something else). Everybody is on edge and TIRED.
I would highly encourage you to see a therapist. Everybody can benefit from therapy, whether they have a diagnosis or not. But you’re saying that you’re exhausted right now and you need to speak with a professional. If this were any other aspect of your health you would go to the credentialed expert. Why trust your mental health with someone who has no credentials?
If one of your residents were struggling, would you want them to see a coach or a therapist?
That’s a great points. I am honestly considering BOTH.
I have seen 2 therapists in the past. One was fairly helpful. The other was not at all.
Hi Sarah, just listened to the BOBW about moving and I have to say, the unpacking service is REALLY worth it! It’s usually just a few hundred dollars on top of the few(+) thousands-of-dollars move, so not enough to really notice. It’s best if you or your husband is there while they are unpacking to let them know what room each box goes in. They will unwrap everything and put it on a flat surface in that room. I like to work alongside and put things right into kitchen cabinet, bedroom closets, etc. as they go. (My husband has the kids out of the house as all of this is going down.) Perhaps the best part, they take ALL of the boxes and packing materials away with them at the end! I have had 3 major moves in the past 6 years and will never not do the unpacking service – by a day or two after moving day, we are pretty much in business. (No searching for certain pots and pans weeks later, like Laura mentioned.)
OOOH! YES! I am going to look into this!
omg, Epic chat= worst invention ever. Hope they mostly leave you alone!