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During residency, invest in your health by investing in family.
After a 30-hour shift, it can be easy to lose sight of the important things in life. But taking care of critically ill patients is a constant reminder that every moment of life is precious. That’s why you must make time for the things that matter most—like family.
Making time for yourself and your loved ones may seem like a luxury, but it’s absolutely necessary if you want to avoid a burnout, isolation, and even depression. You must take care of your own physical and emotional help if you want to be able to help others.
Plan ahead
Inpatient months are grueling. After a long week (or weeks) without a day off, all I want to do on my day off is sleep in and relax. But because I’ll be moving to Boston in June, I always make a point to plan ahead for my days off to see my family.
Even if it’s just for an hour or two to catch up, the effort goes a long way for both them and me. Plus, with all the many ways to communicate now via text messaging, email, phone or video chat, it is easier than ever to stay connected to loved ones, despite a hectic schedule.
Elective months
I’m currently on an elective rotation month, which has allowed for weekly visits (usually a Sunday brunch) and prolonged phone conversations. My little brother is in high school, so when I have a more flexible schedule, I try to take him to his extracurricular activities between each shift or bring him with me to the gym.
Fostering friendships
While I am very close to my immediate family, I would consider many of my close friends my family as well. Many of my best friends live outside of the state, making it easy to lose touch. However, since starting residency and going through a break-up, I’ve learned to reach out to them more.
Despite having limited time off, I’ve made time to visit one of my friends at her residency program, grab coffee or a meal with local friends, and catch up over the phone. Since starting residency, I realized how important it is to my wellbeing to maintain old relationships and build new ones.
Expecting the unexpected
Many of us in medicine have Type A personalities and like to plan ahead for the future. But sometimes it’s just not feasible to know what is around the corner. For example, my great uncle passed away recently and our extended family scheduled an impromptu gathering to celebrate his life. Luckily, I was on an elective rotation and could leave at a reasonable hour to make it to the event.
However, I also recognize that there will be times during a rotation when I may have to ask for help covering a shift. I, like a lot of doctors, am not the best at asking for help. But life is unpredictable, and there will be times when you literally have to make time and recognize when you need to be present for important moments. Putting your loved ones and your own health first will allow you to take care of others.
Learn more about what to expect in residency—we’re here for you every step of the way!
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