One of the most common questions that applicants, friends, and family ask me about is practicing wellness in residency. As we might know residency can be a tough 3-6 years and making time for both mental and physical well-being is important. So I wanted to use this post to talk about some of the ways that I personally practice wellness in residency.
Our program, fortunately, does a great job of implementing wellness into our curriculum. Having a wellness committee (which I am a part of!) to giving us half days off for doctor’s appointments and car washes are just some of the ways that we can take a break from work. We also have a great group of residents who make time to get together and provide a space where we can enjoy each other’s company during the weekends.
I also have made an effort to continue the hobbies that have made me happy prior to residency. Running, cooking, and enjoying my audiobooks are always on my list of to-dos on the weekends. I will also enjoy the occasional manicure and pedicure with my mom or sister to get that extra family time in. I am a firm believer in living life and making sure that work does not consume it.
Lastly, as a part of our program’s wellness committee, I make the effort to bring awareness to the importance of wellness. With a busy lifestyle and hectic work schedule, we often can forget to implement wellness into our daily lives. But when we normalize the importance of wellness not just in residency but in every-day life, we can start implementing it more and more.
So I am curious to know, what are some ways that you practice wellness. Does it involve reading a good by on the couch or exploring a nearby hiking trail? Comment down below!
Read more on practicing wellness in medical school.
