Whether diagnosing, caring for, or treating people, physicians have a great responsibility to take care of their patients. And with that, naturally, physicians experience a lot of pressure and stress.
Stress for medical practitioners begins to accumulate before they begin practicing as a physician, through their studies and work experience.
Some stress is essential, healthy even for individuals to give people a boost and motivation to get out of bed in the morning, go to work, and complete work by a set deadline. However, practicing physicians are known for experiencing an unhealthy amount of cortisol. As identified in a recent survey, the impending levels of stress result in 45% of resident physicians resulting in burnout— leading to 7.4% to 32.7% of those surveyed regretting their decision to become physicians.
Furthermore, almost half of the doctors surveyed who were experiencing burnout chose to isolate themselves and attempt to cope with their feelings.
It’s disconcerting to read about doctors who do not receive the care they need to live healthy, happy lives. Doctors are the ultimate carers and problem-solvers. Thus little thought is often given to their needs and what they require to be fit and well, in body and mind.
Is It Your Workplace?
If you’re a physician reading this, you are likely feeling low or perhaps stuck in your role. It’s essential to know with the skills and experience you have. There are a wealth of opportunities out there; for instance, Practice Match has an internal medicine career search that lists all the available medical jobs near you. Never settle for a job that makes you unhappy. The variety of choices means there’s bound to be something that suits the lifestyle you want.
And so if you’re unhappy in your career, and you believe it is the job that causes it. Don’t remain, look elsewhere, for a healthier environment to work in.
Suppose you like your place of work, but believe you’re not dedicating enough time to recuperating and living a healthy life like the one you profess your patients need to lead. The below greener, healthier living tips are for you.
Invest In A Healthy Diet
It may be tempting to pick-up a quick ready-meal for work, particularly when you’re stuck for time. However, repeatedly ingesting ready-meals, takeouts, and coffee is not sustainable for helping your brain and body work in optimum condition. Over time, anxiety and stress coupled with unhealthy food and beverages may speed up your path towards burnout.
You know nutrition shall fill you with energy and vitality. Enabling you to cope much better with the influx of stress you experience daily. But, understandably, time is scarce for making healthy meals.
As a solution, there are a few options you could incorporate into your routine. Such as batch cooking healthy meals for the week ahead. Alternatively, investing in purchasing boxes of food from companies such as Hello Fresh, that provide convenient fresh and affordable meal kits straight to your door.
Get Grounded With Nature
Pharmaceuticals and medication play a large part in subsiding feelings of overwhelming stress and anxiety while working as physicians. However, it’s also true that many physicians don’t like to report their issues of depression or stress because they’re afraid of the stigma attached. Thus, many doctors tend to suffer in silence and don’t seek their medical help or prescriptions they desperately need.
If you’re against the idea of having a prescription on your record, as an alternative, please try and at least take large, regular doses of nature. Visit the beach with your family, walk through the local park on your lunch break, and use your vacation time to holiday in a log cabin in the woods.
Nature will enable you to feel grounded; it relieves symptoms of anxiety and depression. While also boosting your immune system and reducing blood pressure.
But, if you’re short on time, bring nature into your office. Plants and trees indoors will enhance your health and help to create a tranquil atmosphere for patients.
Having the intellect and perseverance to become a doctor is admirable in itself. But to ensure the daily stressors, you will inevitably experience the duration of your career don’t get the best of you; it’s essential to focus on adopting a healthier, greener way of living. Abound with fresh and healthy seasonal food and time spent in and amongst nature as much as possible. In doing so, every time your stress levels rise, you will have tools in place to chip down those levels time and time again and focus on the three things that are most important;
Three things in life – your health, your mission, and the people you love. That’s it. Naval Ravikant
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