3 Steps for Women In Medicine To Have A Stress-Free Day

For women in medicine there are many things we have to accomplish each day before we encounter our first patient. That means we spend most of our time reacting to what’s happening instead of being intentional.  This is not the goal for doctors, nurse practitioners, or nurses who want to avoid stress, worry, frustration and feeling out of control.  When you are intentional, you decide in advance the qualities you desire for your day.  My clients understand the importance of staging your day.  Here’s what I mean:
1. Before you leave work the night before, get a handle on what is on your schedule for the following day. What’s on your calendar that must be done? What are the priorities for the next day?  What is on the schedule that is not essential for you to do that you can delegate to someone else on your team?  Mapping out the next day gives you some room to breathe.

2.When you wake up, set clear intentions about your day before you even leave home so that your commute to the hospital or office is easy, effortless and stress free.  Don’t forget to secure whatever you must for your family so that they, too, can have productive days.

3.Once you get to work, I recommend that my clients spend 5 minutes setting an intention – this is before reviewing email, checking patient charts, or responding to a colleague. It is the first thing you do when you get to the office.  Now it’s time to meet with your team. Start the team meeting by taking 5 minutes to set a team intention.  What are you working on? What do you need from me? What will you commit to doing today?

Now, you are ready to see your patients and expect the best from each patient interaction.  Here’s to staging your day!