Stress management
Yesterday was not a good day. As so often happens, my best laid plans went astray. I was tangled in thorny administrative issues while trying to deal with difficult clinical challenges. A research proposal was shredded by a committee. Finally, some scheduling goofs occurred and colleagues were inconvenienced. We all have days like this when — despite our best planning — the wheels come off.
Reflecting on the day, I was reminded of a couple of key points:
How we react is our choice. We are humans and sometimes things just do not go the way we hope. However, if we dwell on the negatives and focus on the mix-ups, we will lose energy and find it difficult to get back on task.
We need support from others. When I arrived home that evening, I shared my frustrations with my beloved wife and running partner Peggy.
Life is a long-distance event. You have to be fit to go the distance. The next morning I completed my workout: stretching, calisthenics and free weights. This routine takes no more than 35 minutes and is absolutely life-sustaining and rejuvenating, as is my usual eight-mile run.
In the end, did the problems and the frustrations of the day disappear? Of course they didn't, but I had a clearer mind, renewed focus and more energy to go back into the arena and give it my all.
What other lessons can we learn from our bad days?
Yesterday was not a good day. As so often happens, my best laid plans went astray. I was tangled in thorny administrative issues while trying to deal with difficult clinical challenges. A research proposal was shredded by a committee. Finally, some scheduling goofs occurred and colleagues were inconvenienced. We all have days like this when — despite our best planning — the wheels come off.
Reflecting on the day, I was reminded of a couple of key points:
How we react is our choice. We are humans and sometimes things just do not go the way we hope. However, if we dwell on the negatives and focus on the mix-ups, we will lose energy and find it difficult to get back on task.
We need support from others. When I arrived home that evening, I shared my frustrations with my beloved wife and running partner Peggy.
Life is a long-distance event. You have to be fit to go the distance. The next morning I completed my workout: stretching, calisthenics and free weights. This routine takes no more than 35 minutes and is absolutely life-sustaining and rejuvenating, as is my usual eight-mile run.
In the end, did the problems and the frustrations of the day disappear? Of course they didn't, but I had a clearer mind, renewed focus and more energy to go back into the arena and give it my all.
What other lessons can we learn from our bad days?
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