A lot of you have been asking about my workouts
Back to it! I am starting my daily writing a little later in the afternoon than usual. I have begun to allow myself food prior to completion of my daily writing over the past week. I hope to make this more of a habit rather than a punitive thing. I just did that to start it off and it worked so it’s nice to know that I can return to that. The threat of its return will be enough hopefully! Well my time on service is approaching it’s thrilling conclusion so I will be planning on doing Final Thoughts Walkn’Talks with the team over the next couple of days. I just finished up recording my first podcast, which was fun. It was a great conversation and it definitely helped how I think about these ideas. I’m down to do more podcasts if you, dear reader, are looking for someone to come on your podcast
The upcoming Walkn’Talks with my team reminded me of one of the main topics that I discuss with them in the first one halfway through the month. I make them write and send me goals for the month and smaller goals each week (Discussed on 4/16: The Physics of Feedback). I usually say at least 2 goals related to work and at least one related to life outside of work. I usually spend most of the time discussing the goals related to work. My little spiel about the nonwork goal is that it is not important that they accomplished that goal but just that they have one, are working towards it, and are figuring out why they may or may not be able to obtain that goal. Most learners nonwork goals are related to exercise, their significant other, or other significant people in their life. It is a great way to get to know them and seals home my main point. That point is that part of being the best doctor that you can be is nurturing your whole self. If my job is to make sure they develop into the best doctor they can be, then it is essential to my job to make sure they are nurturing their whole person when we are working together. Often times, our time on service together is one of the busiest times of medical school or residency. This means that it is a time where the erasure of the hobbies and activities that made them a great candidate for professional school can begin. So everyone that I have a Walkn’Talk with, I remind them that they need to always prioritize the things that make them who they are. If they don’t prioritize it, nobody else will. My bosses never ask me how many miles I run each week (nor do I think my bosses should ask me that). If I let my bosses know that I am starting to feel the symptoms of burnout and they provide time away from work, I can do the things that help me be the best I can be.
My reminder to the learners is just as much a reminder to myself that I need to prioritize the things that help me be the best I can be, which is running for me. It is the lube that keeps my whole process going. The best book on running is from Haruki Murakami (shown above). I bet any faithful reader of this blog would have guessed I would have said improv is what I prioritize to help me be the best I can be. That is true, however, running is what helps organize my day, helps me sleep, helps me get up early, helps me think, helps me understand improv and its ideas’ impact in my life. Improv is practicing being my true self, running helps me understand what my true self even is. Just like being a healthcare provider, bringing myself to the improv stage can help it be more meaningful. To be a good doctor and to be a good improvisor, I need to nurture all of the parts of my life. So, if people don’t like and share today’s entry, I am going to turn this into a running blog and you are going to see a lot more titles like today’s! Just kidding, but feel free to like and share. Until tomorrow dearest reader!