NEPA Vital Signs - Summer Fall 2019 - 18

L ACKMEDSOC.ORG

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LUZERNEMEDSOC.ORG

Feature

To Boost Productivity,
Take Time for Time Out

B

eing a medical student has given
me the opportunity to do what I
love - learn new things! However,
the constant dissemination of information
and seemingly endless activities to participate in can make it seem like there are not
enough hours in the day. Throughout my
first year of medical school, I have come
to realize that giving myself time to do
things I enjoy makes me a more productive student and a happier individual. For
me, the key to effective stress relief is to
leave my relaxing activities unscheduled.
In this way, when I sense that I am tired
(physically, mentally, or emotionally) I
know I can stop what I am doing and give
myself time to decompress. There are
three things in particular I do to relax:
yoga, Skype with friends and family, and
fold my laundry.

that currently live all over the country.
Although I don't talk to my friends and
family constantly throughout the week,
I usually can find time to reconnect with
someone. Talking to friends and family
is relaxing to me because I am reminded
of the love and support I have from the
people who know me best.
I recognize that folding laundry is probably not most people's favorite activity, but
it is one of those things that relaxes me the
most. When I fold laundry, I make a whole
event out of it. When I have an hour or two
free, I lay my clean clothes out on the bed,
throw on some music or a TV show, pour
myself a glass of wine, and fold my clothes.
Perhaps because I worked at a clothing
store in high school folding clothes is
soothing or reminds me of a simpler time,

I spend a majority of my time studying, however,
taking the time for myself has kept me grounded
and semi-stress free in medical school.
I have been practicing yoga for about
four years and I try and maintain my
practice two or three times a week. What
I love about yoga is that I get the opportunity to move around and stretch after
sitting all day in a class room, hunching
over a desk, or crouching in front of my
computer or phone. Yoga is also a time
for me to reconnect with my thoughts and
emotions in a quiet atmosphere.

but whatever the reason, folding laundry
is one of my favorite relaxing activities.

I spend a majority of my time studying,
however, taking the time for myself has
kept me grounded and semi-stress free
in medical school. I value the free time I
have and try to make the most of it when
it is available. I look forward to trying
new relaxation techniques throughout
my professional career to maintain peak
Skyping with friends and family is productivity and appreciate both my work
really important to me. I went to college time and my free time.
far from home and made lots of friends

N E PA

18

VITAL SIGNS
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NEPA Vital Signs - Summer Fall 2019

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