Page 5 - Mecklenburg_Medicine_June-2019

President’s Letter

One Day Away

By Elizabeth B. Moran, MD

B y the time you read this, summer will be getting into full worked, folks who took more vacation days reported being happier
swing. Children and grandchildren will be done with or and more satisfied at work and in life. (West, C., Mogilner, C., &
winding down the school year, the days will be longer DeVoe S.E. (2019). “How vacation increases happiness.”)
and sunnier, and hopefully you will be looking forward
This conclusion should not be shocking, as most of us intuitively
to some time off with friends and family. are aware that despite the many challenges, large chunks of time
away from work can be beneficial for the mind, body and spirit.
But, it’s easier said than done. I am intrigued the study documented the amplified effect of a
positive mindset. Participants in the UCLA study were encouraged
The struggle is real. Those who work in healthcare stay to “pretend” their usual weekend was a mini-vacation. Adopting
that mindset predicted greater happiness!
constantly busy and there is no such thing as a “slow season.”
Interestingly, the “pretend vacationers” behaved somewhat
We all know disease and illness don’t pay any attention to our differently — doing less housework and less job-related work,
staying in bed a little longer with their partner, etc. But the
personal schedules. Additionally, it can be challenging to work differences in activities weren’t responsible for their increased
happiness. Instead, treating the time like a vacation seemed to
The struggle is real. out time off around have shifted their mindset. Specifically, the vacationers were more
Those who work mindful of and attentive to the present moment throughout their
in healthcare stay our partners’ vacation weekend’s activities.
constantly busy and requests and to arrange
call coverage. We stress Even if you can’t take an entire weekend “off” because of a
looming work deadline or household obligations, it still is possible
there is no such thing ourselves to the max to gain the benefits of a vacation mindset. You can carve out a piece
as a “slow season.” (before we even leave of the weekend (or perhaps even the workweek) to fully enjoy and
our zip code) with the be in the present, as you would be on vacation. Or, you can apply a
vacation mindset to whatever task is at hand — slow down, notice,
We all know disease anxious anticipation of make it more fun. Turn on some upbeat music in the car while
and illness don’t pay how the paperwork will running errands or make yourself a margarita for folding laundry.
inevitably explode while (Adapted from Cassie Holmes in the Harvard Business Review:
https://hbr.org/2019/01/treat-your-weekend-like-a-vacation).
any attention to our we are out. For those
personal schedules. who are parents of young Discussions abound about mindfulness and self-care to prevent
children as I am, there burnout in physicians, but little is being done to address the root
of the problem. For example, there is too much non-clinical work,
is also the indescribably increased demand for “customer satisfaction,” decreasing control
intricate house of cards over medical decision-making (now, it’s often done by employers
involved in packing and and/or insurance companies), decreasing control over schedules
and support personnel, and many other issues. Much of this will
organizing the needed take a lot of time and policy change to affect any real relief.
However, while we continue to work on improving the underlying
objects before the actual causes for our profession’s high burnout and dissatisfaction rate, we
do have some control over our personal lives.
travel even begins. What tragedy might unfold if “Bunny Bunny”
“Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which
missed the flight? The conclusion is too exhausting to contemplate. one consciously separates the past from the future. Jobs, family,
employers, and friends can exist one day without any one of us, and
To make matters worse, because of the Internet and EHR, once we if our egos permit us to confess, they could exist eternally in our
absence. Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are
defeat all odds and finally arrive at our destination, we might soon confronted, no solutions searched for. Each of us needs to withdraw
from the cares which will not withdraw from us.”
feel compelled to connect into the mainframe via Wi-Fi to review
— Maya Angelou, Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now
labs, refill medications and answer emails.

Our years of training and the intensity, the uniqueness of our

responsibility and the complex decision-making in our job, can

easily make us feel taking time off is more trouble than it’s worth.

At a minimum, it is considered an inconvenience to others on our

team, a disappointment to our patients should they have an issue, a

financial problem due to lost productivity, or a personal weakness.

However, stepping away from work from time to time is crucial

in preventing burnout. Validated academic research has found

taking vacations makes us happier, improves our health, boosts job

performance and triggers more creativity.

In a recent research paper, a team from UCLA Anderson School

of Management reviewed data from more than 200,000 Americans

who participated in the Gallup Daily poll between 2014 and

2016. They found that, even after controlling for income and days

Mecklenburg Medicine • June 2019 | 5