February Well-Being Tips

• Wear good shoes and other valuable advice. Practical suggestions on self-care, communication, and teamwork are always welcome. This information from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is geared toward new doctors but is simply good practice for clinicians of any age or experience level.
• The Power of Listening. Take advantage of the opportunity to let a listener poet put your thoughts and feelings into words. The Good Listening Project has been strengthening the listening culture of health care institutions while easing the emotional burden of caregivers in an effort to fight burnout. Humanities and well-being for many are interrelated.
• Synchronous prescription renewal can save time. How many minutes each week do you spend renewing long-term prescriptions for your patients? Now multiply that by 52.
• Staying positive with a bit of dancing – One Oregon doctor has written a prescription for fun with viral dance videos during the pandemic. We can echo his message about fulfilling our roles as health care workers while always looking on the sunny side.
• Did you set New Year’s resolutions? How is that going? – Try not to get discouraged about setting intentions for the year ahead. About this time, everyone loses a bit a steam. These suggestions might help as you revisit your resolutions or make new ones.
• Resiliency is key to fighting burnout – Physicians who develop self-care techniques are better equipped to thrive in a challenging, and even chaotic, environment.