New M.D.

A Weekly Indulgence Eases Stress

By Lauren Eckstein, M.D.

I arrived a little past my usual hour. I had been delayed at the hospital with an emergency case, but as I entered the restaurant I found that my favored seat was nevertheless held vacant in anticipation of my arrival — late or otherwise.

I placed my bag on the hook beneath the counter to my right, slid off my coat, and hung it on the same hook. Lifting myself onto the barstool, I immediately felt the weight of the day's events slip effortlessly away beneath me. I scanned the room for familiar faces; all the usual suspects were there that evening. I passed along greetings, gave a few courteous nods, and then waited some moments more for my friend to look up from his workstation where he was preparing the evening's dinners.

A short time later, he glanced around and caught my eye. He beamed and I brightened. After a long workday, I had finally arrived at my favorite restaurant here in Los Angeles, Campanile, and seeing my friend, Mark Peel, the executive chef and proprietor, I knew I had also arrived at the symbolic end of my workweek.

Finding a Balance

Balancing professional life and personal life is rarely an easy task. To be successful at either seemingly demands our full attention. But few undertakings are more critical to maintaining physical and mental well-being as well as preventing burnout and job fatigue.

During a rigorous residency like ophthalmology, the demands on our time may be overwhelming. Long hours are spent in over-subscribed and under-staffed clinics. Many more hours are also spent in evening and weekend didactic sessions or occupied with on-call duties.

Moreover, these enormous time commitments persist well beyond the conclusion of our formal education — the long hours and rigors of the job do not abate at the end of residency. Although our training may end, the challenges of running a successful practice will soon place even greater demands on our time. Thus, the skills we develop early to maintain a rich and satisfying personal life are critical proficiencies at all steps of our career.

A common refrain heard during training is that some aspect of one's personal life has been, "put on hold for a while." Although this may be a successful adaptation to an overwhelming stressor for a short period, it is not a successful long-term strategy. On the contrary, when maintained for any substantial length of time this approach frequently engenders bitterness and resentment towards the offending situation.

"Escape" as a Priority

A healthier attitude than this ‘all-or-nothing’ philosophy is to develop accommodations both within one's personal life and within the confines of one's career. It is far better to ‘scaleback’ than to completely eliminate an important or valuable personal diversion. Rather than going to the gym 5 days per week, focus instead on getting a great workout on the weekends. Alternatively, be proactive and create inviolate ‘protected times’ that regularly allow you to enjoy your personal interests.

Rather than trying to eat dinner with your partner every evening, set aside a weekly ‘date night,’ during which you spend meaningful, quality time together and around which you organize your clinical duties.

I particularly like dining out at great restaurants, but due to time constraints and other limitations I cannot indulge this extravagance as often as I might like. Yet, I have created my own small tradition of going to Campanile at the end of every week, and I have adjusted my call schedule to reflect the importance of this engagement. It has become my oasis in the city, a place to escape the stressors of work, an opportunity to recharge and rejuvenate. Although I may not be free to accommodate my every desire, I have created a stable and predictable luxury that helps me feel satisfied (and well-nourished) and which helps defuse any sense of sacrifice I might otherwise feel. It is my weekly respite, a sacred indulgence. OM