Resilience does not make a person immune to hardship. Instead, it allows them to continue to function effectively when faced with adversity, stress, trauma or tragedy, and it is a crucial trait for professionals working in healthcare. Fortunately, resilience can be honed by developing and practicing specific habits and behaviors. Individuals practicing medicine can utilize these tips to build their own resilience.
Strike a Mental Balance of Positive and Negative
People have a tendency to notice negative things, and being stressed seems to enhance this inclination. Resilient people are not blind to life’s negatives, but they balance them by giving equal attention to its positive aspects. Someone who is struggling might see a bad experience as proof of their failure. A resilient individual will consider it a learning experience or an opportunity to make corrections that can prevent future repetitions of the poor experience.
Take Stock to Enhance Self-awareness
An individual can be their own worst enemy. Even intelligent, dedicated medical professionals can fall into this trap by engaging in behaviors that introduce complications and interfere with their ability to reach their goals. That is why many resilient people make it a point to make time to take stock. They think about their goals, their progress, and their priorities. Then, they consider whether their actions are in line with their intent. Being self-aware and considering how their actions and choices impact their situation allows resilient people to stay on track in both their professional and personal lives.
Keep Learning
Doctors, nurses, physician assistants and other medical professionals generally share certain traits, including a desire to help others and a thirst for knowledge. When their work becomes routine, it can become more difficult to maintain a positive outlook. Embracing opportunities to keep learning by participating in professional advancement training or informally exploring an intriguing topic independently can help medical professionals remain interested and enthusiastic about their lives and their work.
Make Connections
A strong support network can be a powerful source of comfort and care when outcomes are unsatisfying or unhappy. Connecting with peers allows medical professionals to interact with others who truly understand the situations and events that they encounter while on the job. Supportive personal relationships can also buoy people when times are tough, allowing them to cope with stressful situations more calmly and effectively.
Engage in Self-care
Working in the medical field can be incredibly demanding. In order to be able to provide the quality care that they want to, medical professionals must make caring for themselves a priority. Refueling by exercising, eating healthy foods, getting sufficient sleep and participating in enjoyed hobbies protects the physical and mental health of those working in the medical field. It wards off burnout, reduces mistakes and enables them to provide a better response when seeing to their patients’ needs.
Why is resilience a quality that medical professionals should cultivate? Resilience allows doctors and other medical professionals to nourish their sense of purpose and their supplies of compassion and empathy. Ultimately, it supports their own well-being and allows them to deliver better quality care to their patients.
