“Whoa, I’m barely keeping up as it is. If I slow down, I’ll be even more behind.” It often feels that way when you focus on all the things to get done, rather than on what you’re doing right in the moment.
Do you ever rush from one patient to the next and mix up some of the details when you first enter the room? How about making notes on a recent patient encounter when you’re in a meeting? When going so fast, it’s easy to forget what your point of focus is. Even with a facile mind, it takes a toll to switch between one activity and another. Constant rushing, frequent interruptions and trying to meet a variety of demands at once can be exhausting and lead to the feeling of “I can’t get anything done.” Emotional and physical exhaustion, along with poor sense of self-value, effectiveness, are hallmarks of nurse and physician burnout.
What would it look like to slow down? Can you even slow down long enough to seriously imagine what it might be like rather than go to the immediate response of near panic? I wonder what it would be like to set aside time during the workday, especially for those in hospital settings, when interruptions were not allowed, no phones and no interruptions for 20 minutes; or what about 10 minutes of quiet time at home?
Here are some things which have been helpful to others in their effort to experience the benefits of slowing down.
- Breathe – stop what you’re doing, and take 3 slow deep diaphragmatic breaths to center yourself. You can enhance this by either closing your eyes or looking with a gentle focus at something attractive as you take your breaths.*
- Set your phone aside for 15 minutes – this may allow you to focus on what you’re doing without interruption at least for this amount of time. If you were in the middle of a lumbar puncture you wouldn’t allow yourself to be interrupted, so why not allow this for the other important activities that require your attention.
- Set Boundaries – this may be hard to do while at work, but there are ways that you can do this. Perhaps by letting your mid-level providers take responsibility for a given amount of time. You can also set boundaries outside of work, setting transition time and activities, letting family members know you need time to be alone prior to diving in.
What helps you to slow down and focus? Share your experience by clicking on Leave a Reply below.
While you might not be looking for “Feelin’ Groovy,” by slowing down you’re likely to feel better and enjoy life more.
To develop ways to experience the benefits of slowing down and reconnecting with your well-being, contact me.
Revitalize Your Life,
Dina, 203.744.YOU3 (9683)
Improving physician and nurse well-being through coaching.
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*for more ideas related to one minute breath work, check out Oasis in the Overwhelm by Millie Grenough
