Physician wellness has always been important to me. It helped me get through medical school and residency just as much as all my studying. Without ways to release my stress and find balance, I easily became overwhelmed. For each person, wellness can be extremely varied. and It’s important to find what truly relaxes you and makes you feel refreshed afterward.

For me, music and family are great forms of release. I was in a few choirs through medical school and have joined my local church choir. I find it refreshing to be around people with completely different daily experiences and love how singing makes me feel. I always look to my family for my center. We cook together, go on walks, and take mini driving trips just to get away. Being together helps us reconnect and have fun which is cathartic. When I find myself getting more stressed at work, and as much as I want to keep going and get my work done, sometimes the best thing is to step away.

Go for a walk during lunch; get some food with colleagues and friends; or simply just push away from the desk. It’s not always easy in a busy world to take a pause, but sometimes it helps me refresh and come back to my work and finish stronger. It’s important we all take the time we need to help ourselves, and if we see something we can do for another colleague, we should also reach out to support each other.