How To Notably Reduce Stress in Only 5 Mins. a Day
3 easy self-care tips for healthcare professionals to feel more peaceful and at ease, in the time it takes to brush your teeth!
By Ali Novitsky, M.D.
Life Coach for Women Physicians
Triple Board Certified in Neonatology, Pediatrics, and Obesity Medicine
Why “Self-Care” Is Not a Dirty Word
Does just hearing the word, “self-care,” irritate you?
I know it can be annoying, or even feel like an insult, when you are already at your max and don’t know how you could possibly have the time or energy to fit “me time” in.
But self-care for physicians is not about being selfish or taking time away from those you love, it’s about protecting your day-to-day health and the longevity of your career.
In the short term, self-care allows you to get through each day with more ease, flow, and peace.
Are you wondering . . .
What even is “self-care” anyway, and what is it really going to do for me? Is it even worth my time?
I completely understand the feeling that you are just doing your best to get through each day and that adding one more thing to your already packed to-do list seems impossible. But, if that’s how you feel, I promise that you need to practice daily self-care more than anyone.
But, “self-care” doesn’t mean expensive treatments or luxurious, blow-out spa days. It’s also not about drawing yourself a bubble bath or pouring yourself a generous glass of wine after work, although it can be!
Real self-care for healthcare professionals is about small daily habits that ease your mind and allow you to handle what comes your way while feeling grounded, centered, and calm.
In this article, I will show you just how simple it can be to release anxiety, pressure, and stress in just 5 minutes a day.
Why Don’t Doctors Take Time Out for Self-Care?
As physicians, we tend to overlook taking care of ourselves, being so focused on our care and concern for others. But, in a field where almost half of practicing doctors report physician burnout, you cannot afford NOT to make an effort to take care of yourself daily. Especially since it gives you the emotional resiliency to deal with whatever comes your way and helps you better navigate the challenging decisions and unique pressures you face as a busy female physician.
The irony is — the tougher things get and the busier we are as physicians, the more we need to make sure we take time out for small daily self-care practices.
However, it doesn’t take as long as you think to practice self-care. But, you do have to make it a priority. The question is, are you? Or do you make excuses like, “I don’t have time,” “It’s too expensive,” or “I just can’t focus on me right now, I have too much going on in my life.”
I know it feels like you don’t have the time or energy. I felt the same way before I became a physician coach myself and learned first hand how important mindset work is along with exercise in keeping ourselves healthy for the long run. But it doesn’t take as long as you think.
The benefits of mindful self-care for doctors are indisputable, as this article from everydayhealth.com states,
“When self-care is regularly practiced, the benefits are broad and have even been linked to positive health outcomes such as reduced stress, improved immune system, increased productivity, and higher self-esteem,” says Brighid Courtney, of Boston, a client leader at the wellness technology company Wellable and a faculty member at the Wellness Council of America (WELCOA).”
So here are a few self-care helpers I’ve found to take the edge off of a stressful day . . .
3 Easy Ways to De-Stress and Gain Peace in Just 5 Mins. a Day
Set a Timer on Your Phone To Focus on Your Breathing for 5 Mins. a Day
The act of focusing on your breathing, and slowing your mind down, re-regulates your nervous system and allows you to lower your stress level. It also helps you focus and concentrate so you feel less overwhelmed.
Here is a short 5-minute exercise to reduce stress that you can do anywhere, with tips for how to get the most out of it.
So, go ahead, shut the door to your office, put up an “unavailable” sign, and dedicate 5 WHOLE minutes to feeling better the rest of the day. I give you full permission.
And if you don’t think that’s enough time to make a lasting change, studies show that just 5 minutes a day of mindful breathing can lower your blood pressure and boost performance, both of which prevent physician burnout.
2. Just Walk Outside (You Don’t Even Have to Go for a Walk!)
The benefits of nature on relieving depression and overwhelm have been proven time and again. Taking five minutes to leave the building, or take a break from the hospital chaos, even if it seems insignificant, will do wonders for your mental health.
According to this research, “An initial study of 123 university students found that participants who sat in an urban park for just five minutes showed significant increases in positive emotions compared to participants who sat in a windowless laboratory room.”
Nature is so fundamental to our health that It’s now even possible to write patients a prescription for park time as a way to improve their physical and mental health. How about that!
As Time Magazine reports, this is helping people to see that getting outdoors is just as essential to their well-being as their medications are. But, it’s equally important for you as a busy female physician. Don’t forget we have to take our own advice too.
3. Identify and Change Negative Self-Talk Habits with Mindfulness
Believe it or not, positive self-talk IS a form of self-care. We all have those self-critical thoughts as physicians, second-guessing even our most educated decisions, but when we don’t keep them in check, it’s easy to stay stuck in harmful thought patterns.
Check out this short article in Forbes with other ways to stay positive, including a gratitude journal, saying positive affirmations, and surrounding yourself with positive people.
According to this article, the National Science Foundation did research that shows that 80% of our thoughts are negative! Especially, as physicians, we tend to overthink everything — from our daily choices to patient care. It’s easy to see how that would easily spiral into an overwhelming sense of anxiety if left unchecked day in and day out.
Reducing negative self-talk can be as simple as identifying a worry-based thought and changing it to something softer. For example, the next time you hear yourself saying, “I should have done . . .” catch yourself and change it to, “I am always learning from my mistakes and I will approach it differently next time.”
These small tweaks, one thought at a time, are all it takes to start shifting to a healthier mindset that will keep you from burning out.
In my physician wellness coaching programs, I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) mindset coaching to help you overcome long-held negative thought patterns. Because I know that our mindset affects EVERYTHING we do and the quality of our professional and home lives. And we often don’t address it or go years without being aware of how we really feel because we are so busy.
But it’s just as important to keep our mental health strong as it is to keep our bodies healthy.
As a practicing physician and life coach for women, I understand that we don’t have a lot of extra time in the day.
That’s why I’ve created a streamlined physician wellness program tailored just for you!
G.O.A.L.S. Society, my monthly physician coaching program for women, is based on science, so you get the maximum benefit in the least amount of time.
Our coaching calls and online workouts are available online anytime, so you can work them into your schedule whenever and wherever you want.
My goal is to reduce your stress, not add to it.
Come join our community of self-acceptance and positivity and see the kind of life-changing transformation it makes in your life.
Join a supportive group of fellow female physicians who understand.