Studying for and eventually pursuing a career in the health professions is incredibly satisfying work, but it can take a lot out of you. That's why it's so important to develop a series of best practices around leading a balanced life. In today's blog, medical student and Osmosis Medical Education Fellow Sophia Pothen shares her advice for improving your health and wellbeing in all aspects of your life.
As medical students, we’re in the profession to promote the health and well-being of others. However, the irony is, we end up not practicing the things we intellectually know and learn in our own lives. We say we’re all about health and we tell our patients to move more, eat healthy, spend time with family and friends, promoting a focus on the whole person and holistic health—yet, we spend our days buried in books, hardly getting up or moving much, reaching for junk food or grabbing some food and eating outside meals, barely spending any time to process life or hit pause and reconnect with ourselves, and really neglecting this thing called self-care. Sometimes we have those days with a total of only 2,000 or so steps—especially during these COVID-19 times.
At the end of it, we end up being exhausted and worn out or “burned out” because we’re not able to be at peace with our own selves. This has definitely been my experience. I’ve learned a few things as I’m working towards becoming healthier and more intentional towards my own well-being. When I’ve made it a priority to practice self-care, to exercise regardless, and to study, I’ve done better in school.
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The Importance of Health & Wellbeing for the Health Professional
Sophia Pothen
Published on May 13, 2020. Updated on Sep 24, 2020.
Studying for and eventually pursuing a career in the health professions is incredibly satisfying work, but it can take a lot out of you. That's why it's so important to develop a series of best practices around leading a balanced life. In today's blog, medical student and Osmosis Medical Education Fellow Sophia Pothen shares her advice for improving your health and wellbeing in all aspects of your life.
As medical students, we’re in the profession to promote the health and well-being of others. However, the irony is, we end up not practicing the things we intellectually know and learn in our own lives. We say we’re all about health and we tell our patients to move more, eat healthy, spend time with family and friends, promoting a focus on the whole person and holistic health—yet, we spend our days buried in books, hardly getting up or moving much, reaching for junk food or grabbing some food and eating outside meals, barely spending any time to process life or hit pause and reconnect with ourselves, and really neglecting this thing called self-care. Sometimes we have those days with a total of only 2,000 or so steps—especially during these COVID-19 times.
At the end of it, we end up being exhausted and worn out or “burned out” because we’re not able to be at peace with our own selves. This has definitely been my experience. I’ve learned a few things as I’m working towards becoming healthier and more intentional towards my own well-being. When I’ve made it a priority to practice self-care, to exercise regardless, and to study, I’ve done better in school.
Tips for getting started
There is enough time
Really! There is time to plan out meals, workout, to take time for self-care on a daily and weekly basis, and to study and do well! There was a time when I was freaked out that I didn’t have enough time and ended up wasting so much time freaking out. When I started making it a "must" to have good health, I started noticing much better performance in school. Somehow you’ll figure it out for yourself and make the time for what you should start considering your "non-negotiables."It is possible
Some of the top people in my school are leaders in our school organizations too and I would see them in the gym at all different hours before COVID-19 hit. These go-getters also made it to lecture daily and figured out how to do well. Some of them even have families and children! They really inspired me and challenged me to figure this out for myself rather than thinking it’s hard or impossible. I can’t help but think: Where there’s a will, there’s a way!You can do this
Sure, there will be times where things may be hard or daunting and it’s very easy to give up. Remember those who have come before us and those who will come after us. It is possible and doable. Always remember to never let failure take root in your heart or success to get to your head. Keep going and try to learn from the mistakes. I’m learning to let go of this perfectionist mindset that gets paralyzing when things are not perfect. I am learning to be okay even if things might be messy at first.
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