Problem solved: How can I maintain my well-being in a stressful environment?

Realism, not idealism I continually remind myself that I am only responsible for my own feelings and my own behaviour. I am not responsible for how other people feel, act or react. We may all be in the same storm, but only I can steer my own boat. For me, this means letting go of what would be ideal for what is realistic. There is always a push to do more—stay and help out when you are short-staffed, pick up one more shift, do one more research project, attend one more meeting, or join another study group. But done is better than perfect, and it is not solely on my shoulders to fix the healthcare system. So, I steer my own boat, and try to help out when the seas are stormy, but say no when I need to— to ensure I keep sailing for another day. —JANET ZANIN Three, three and three Start each day planning to write down three things you are thankful for, telling three people a meaningful compliment, and taking three minutes to reflect on where your day is on the 1 to 10 meter, with 10 as worldwide nuclear war. Whenever I am confronted with “bad news,” I tend to overreact. I have learned to quickly put whatever the problem is on the disaster scale. So I got a complaint today from a patient. Where does that fit on the 1 to 10 scale of disasters? Perspective is a wonderful thing, and it doesn’t always need to be gained from time passing. Not much makes it above two on my disaster meter in the run of a day. When it does, I have learned to pause and call a friend, rather than waste a lot of energy in ranting. — DR. SHELAGH LEAHEY First, your own life jacket In stressful times we have to focus on taking care of ourselves before taking care of others. Sleeping enough and eating well, exercising daily. Speak with a friend about how you feel. Go for walks in the park or in nature. Spend time with the people you love, cook together, bake, play board games, and take a break from screens. If at all possible, take a vacation or a long weekend. Be kind and forgiving with yourself; you are the most important person to your family. — DR. ALINE LEVI Doctors with boundaries When I was doing fulltime psychotherapy I came to recognize that the cornerstone of mental health was establishing and maintaining healthy boundaries, especially the emotional and psychological ones. There is a bit of an art to it, especially while being empathetic but cognizant of where ownership of the problem resides. We physicians do not “own” many of the problems we are confronted with, especially a shortage of resources, including adequate staffing. During the days when I always stepped up to fill holes in schedules, I found myself profoundly burned out. My personal boundaries now strengthened, I no longer assume this rescuing role. I’ve come to recognize, like many of my colleagues, that rescuing only sustains dysfunction. — DR. ALICIA SCHREADER

Problem solved: How can I maintain my well-being in a stressful environment?

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