August Well-Being Tips

• Can Hobbies be Lifesavers? During the pandemic, doctors and nurses turned to their hobbies to gain some space and relieve their stress. Even though (hopefully) that kind of urgency is behind us, this creative NPR article illustrates the importance of having a passion outside of work. It also emphasizes how enjoying a hobby can actually improve your ability to care for others.
• Filling Your “Energy Accounts.” A battery stops when it’s drained. Conversely, clinicians are taught to keep going and to keep caring for patients regardless of their energy level, even if they are running below zero. In his HappyMD column from Physician’s Weekly, Dike Drummond, MD, shares how to replenish your physical, emotional, and spiritual energy accounts.
• Does Compassion Make You a Better Doctor? For most of his career, Dr. Stephen Trzeciak was not a believer in the “touchy-feely” side of medicine. Then his boss, Dr. Anthony Mazzarelli, wanted answers to this question: “Can treating patients with medicine and compassion make a measurable difference in the well-being of both patients and doctors?” It’s an interesting story and study!