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​Next week, I’m planning to be sick - said no one ever.

As physicians we take an oath to first do no harm. And we work tirelessly to promote health, healing and well-being for an endless number of patients.

So what happens when the physician is the one who is unwell and in need of healing?

Ironically, most of the physicians I know don’t take the advice that they give to their patients. The reasons are multi-factorial, and include working in a system that rewards “pushing through” and being productive even at the cost of their own health. This mindset also carries over to physicians working in a nonclinical career.

While we wait for the system to change (thank you to all the dedicated individuals who are championing this cause), we can focus on the small, yet meaningful ways that we can care for ourselves when we are not feeling 100%.

Here are 3 questions you can ask yourself:

1. What do I most need right now and how can I take 1 step to give that to myself, guilt-free?

When we’re soldiering on we don’t pause long enough to check in with how we’re doing. Notice how you’re feeling and get in touch with what your mind and body need. Maybe it’s a brief nap (ask a nurse or co-worker to make sure you’re up in 20-30 min), an abbreviated work day, a nourishing meal, hydrating really well or getting a ride to and from work so you don’t have to expend energy on your commute. Once you figure out what you need, give yourself permission to have it.

2. How can I make THIS simpler?

This could be the task at hand, the work day ahead, etc. Our intellect has gotten us far in our career and it creates a tendency to over-analyze and over-complicate things, unnecessarily. Focus on what you have control over and quickly brainstorm how you can simplify the things that you need to do when you’re not feeling well. An example is picking up dinner or ordering delivery to take meal planning and cooking off the table.

3. What do I need to let go of to facilitate my healing?

This is one of the most important questions you can ask. Take the time to answer it. Sometimes the things you release are just as important as the things you add to your life. I’ve found it valuable to look at what outdated beliefs I can let go of that no longer serve me. Examples include reassessing the belief that work needs to feel hard to be valuable, that asking for help is a sign of weakness and allowing myself to rest when there is an endless list of things to be done is equivalent to laziness. Freeing up these thoughts creates room to adopt new beliefs that support caring for yourself, valuing your own health and well-being as much as you value your loved ones, patients and co-workers.

I hope these questions are a start to your finding ways to care for yourself while meeting your work obligations. And of course there are the times when the best thing to do is to stay home. May you dons the confidence and courage to make that decision when needed.

Are there other questions you would add to this list? Share your suggestions in the comments below.

It's one of those days. You know the kind where it seems there is a secret plot to drive you insane. 

It's the day when you feel like everything is conspiring against you. And there's no time to regroup. You're getting hit with one punch after another. 

When life doesn’t go according to plan

It can be really challenging to rally when it seems like nothing is going your way (and you find yourself pleading with life to just give you a break).

I'm here to remind you that although there may be chaos swirling around you, you can still access a well of calm within you.

Here are 3 suggestions for finding greater calm in the chaos:

• Check in with yourself - Start by pressing pause and turn inward to assess how you're feeling in the moment. Rate your feelings of calm on a scale of 0-10, where 0 is a complete absence of calm (maximum internal chaos) and 10 is an abundance of calm (maximum internal calm). Take one action to help move the needle in the direction of increasing calm - step out into nature, take a breath and remember to exhale, go for a walk, listen to music, etc.
  
  
• Practice surrendering - Ask yourself what you need to let go of to create more breathing space during this chaotic time. Maybe it's taking a step back to see how you can simplify life to free up more mental, physical and emotional energy. Or it could be releasing an outcome that you're very attached to that doesn't seem feasible. Sometimes it's just asking for help and being reminded that you're not alone. Resistance creates stress and leads to feelings of dis-ease. Allowing invites a greater sense of flow and ease which leads to a greater sense of well-being. This is the power of surrender.
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• Summon courage - When our life feels like we're in free fall, we grasp at anything that will give us a sense of control. Sometimes, we are focused on the uncontrollable - we want the situation to be different than it is, we want people to be different than they are. Remembering that control over anything except your own behavior is an illusion. So focus on what you have control over - how you think about the situation will determine how you experience it. Don't add on any unnecessary suffering.

Keep this list handy as a reference whenever you're feeling like life (and work) are chaotic.

May you more easily find your way to the path of your well of inner calm.

When was the last time you sat down to plan your career path, outside of a required annual employee review? If you're like most people, you may not be able to remember.

Setting yourself up for success in your career starts with consistently investing time to nurture and develop it. Whether it's monthly, quarterly or annually, creating a system to reflect, review and plan your career path is key to maintaining fulfillment.

You get to define what success means for you. Not everyone is interested in climbing the ladder to the C-suite. Success may mean taking on additional responsibilities in areas that are meaningful to you, learning new skills to help you hone your craft or transitioning to a new role or industry.

Here are 3 essential elements to consider in your career planning to keep you on the path of success:

1. Intention - Set your intention for what you want to accomplish in your career. Why is that important to you? When you are clear on what you want and why you want it, you can then begin to align your daily intentions with the big picture. Write down your intention at the start of each work day. What do you want to create today? How do you want to show up today? How do you want to experience this day. How will this help you to move forward along your career path? Focusing on questions like this can help you to feel a greater sense of satisfaction as you reflect on your day. If you don't remember to set your intention when the day begins, ask yourself these questions whenever it crosses your mind. These intentions will serve as your guide for your work day.
   
   
2. Action - Setting a goal to transition to a new industry or to step into a leadership role can feel overwhelming. You may delay taking action or instead focus on passive action like watching educational videos/webinars, reading resources, etc. Activities like this will keep you busy, but it won't ultimately move you towards your goal at the pace you desire. Instead, focus on taking results-driven action steps to boldly move towards your goals each day. Focus on the 1 think that could move you forward in the process to minimize overwhelm. In working with physicians who want to transition to a nonclinical career, I often hear them say that they don't have the time to invest in the job hunting process which is so different and foreign compared to applying for clinical jobs. I encourage them to think about what they can do in 10 minutes each day to move the needle, rather than waiting until they can find an hour or two of free time (for most physicians it means you'll be waiting a very long time).
   
   
3. Reflection - Pause to evaluate your career journey thus far. This includes your past accomplishments both big and small, your contributions and sense of impact. In my reflection, I also think about the little things that matter - being present to listen to a team member who is experiencing a challenge or offering to help brainstorm a solution to problem - as well as mentoring (paying it forward to support the next generation) and advocating for causes that are important to me. Next, rate where you currently are in your career. Knowing where you've been and where you are now are helpful in determining where you want to go next. This information will help to inform your goals and clarify what you want for the next stage of your career.  

Incorporating these elements into your career planning can help you to proactively direct your career rather than winging it and hoping for the best. Pay attention to thoughts and habits that are counter to your desired goals or put you at risk of sabotaging your own success. Be willing to let go of outdated, limiting beliefs that no longer serve you.

If you decide you want support with your career planning, seek out a mentor, coach or community of like-minded people who can provide accountability, encouragement and guidance.

​How often do you focus on actively planning your career? Let me know by sharing in the comments below.