A balanced mind helps you keep on with this marathon we call life. Multiple initiatives by esteemed colleagues @drmlb put wellness at the forefront, but we need to explore HOW exactly we can achieve wellness.
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I offer the following acronym, VERITAS, to help you organize your ambitions outside of your clinical duties as a hard-working doctor:
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Volunteer: From local events such as shelters for the homeless and fundraisers, to global health outreach and volunteer trips, you will find that volunteering makes you feel like you have more time to spare. You can see some of the featured work at @abaphysicians
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Exercise: Along with a healthy diet, a regular routine will keep your heart healthy and your mind fresh. There’s plenty of research about the effect of exercise on mental health. Click on over to my friend from college @anjalimalikmd and the #practicewhatyoupreach movement that aims to emphasize healthy lifestyle habits to doctors on the front lines.
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Read: Even a few pages of any book at night will help get you away from your phones and computers, the blue light of which can affect your melatonin levels and how you sleep. For example, check out my friend @drgoldiemd and “Housing 911: The Physician’s guide to Buying A House."
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Innovate: Fnd ways to make the way you and your colleagues work more efficient, fun, and with better outcomes. Check out @alokpatelmd and @medumoinc and their work to improve patient communication and understanding for hospital procedures.
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Travel: Many of us go straight through our training, and the stringent schedules make it difficult to travel frequently for leisure. I wish I had travelled more in my 20s. Live vicariously through three wonderful doctors and their travels together around the world. @wanderlust.doctors
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Arts: We all find some relief and nostalgia in music or pictures. Personally, a little piano and hiphop smooth out the edges of my day. Follow @aalapshahdj for a lot of fun to come.
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Sleep: At the end of the day, your brain needs to rest and consolidate all your daily experiences. Sleep deprivation has real effects, and you can't simple just make up your lost sleep

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