Maintaining Resilience in Today’s Medical Environment: Personal Perspectives on Self-Care

Abstract

Umakant Dave,1 Simon D Taylor-Robinson2 1Department of Gastroenterology, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, Wales, SA6 6NL, UK; 2Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, St Mary’s Hospital Campus, London, W2 1NY, UKCorrespondence: Simon D Taylor-Robinson, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, St Mary’s Hospital Campus, London, W2 1NY, UK, Tel [phone], Email [email protected]: The practice of medicine is becoming increasingly more stressful, owing to technological development, increased expectations, infrastructure deficiencies, lack of resources and healthcare systems that are struggling to cope in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic around the world.Objective: In this article, we explore ways to reduce stress and improve resilience in the work place in order to enhance wellbeing in the medical profession, but also ultimately to protect patient safety.Synopsis: We discuss attention to regular mealtimes, protected sleep and daily exercise, together with consideration of mindfulness, gratefulness, self-compassion, self-care and being part of supportive networks as ways to reduce stress.Conclusion: While such techniques are not guaranteed to mitigate stress, psychology studies have shown that awareness of and attention to these components of a healthy lifestyle have the potential to reduce the adverse effects of increasing professional demands.Keywords: mindfulness, burnout, self-care, self-compassion, wellbeing, gratefulness

Keywords

• mindfulness
• burnout
• self-care
• self-compassion
• wellbeing
• gratefulness