4 Things Every Medical Professional Should be Doing

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If you’re working in the medical field, you are well aware of all the ups and downs of the job. You have to work crazy shifts but you can help someone learn how to walk again. You’re stuck listening to the “I know everything because of WebMD” patient but you get to watch another one ring the “cancer-free” bell.

It might be a crazy job but you know you’ve made the right career choice. Amid all the hustle and bustle and roughly 400 years of education, you may have overlooked some things. Even if you’re a veteran doctor or a rookie just starting your residency, here are four things that every medical professional should be doing.

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Maintaining a Healthy Work-Life Balance

For so many, finding that off switch or even taking a vacation can be much easier said than done. If you’re just starting out in your new job, you might want to make a good impression by always being the dependable one, never missing a day or never taking an extra day off.

That kind of strategy can be boiled down into two words: bad idea.

That’s why when you have time off, make the most out of it! Work on a hobby, take a siesta, binge-watch your favorite show or take a vacation to the beach. A healthy, calm you is going to be a better worker and a better person to deal with. Make sure that free-time you is happy so work-you can be happy as well.

Keeping Healthy Habits

While we’re talking about maintaining a healthy work-life balance, it’s also time to talk about maintaining healthy habits.

If you have a regular schedule, try and nail down a regular exercise routine. Whether that’s jogging in the park with your dog, going to kickboxing class three times a week or making it to your pickup basketball group on a regular basis, it’s important to stay physically fit.

On top of that, see if you can find some healthy snacks and meals. Sometimes, a trip to the vending machine or pizza delivery is inevitable (and this author is a fan of cheat meals!) but it can’t always be your fallback.

Instead of always grabbing a bag of chips, think about bringing some homemade trail mix, with nuts and berries. Cut up an apple and bring it with you or release your inner soccer mom and grab some orange slices. Keep yourself healthy, wealthy and wise.

Covering Yourself

While it is important to layer up during winter and protect yourself from the sun during the summer, that’s not what this section is about. Did you know that one out of four people will suffer a disability over their lifetime? Even though we may think of ourselves as invincible, that isn’t the case.

That’s why it’s important to make sure you’re protecting the top asset in all of this: you. You don’t want to be unable to work and out of income. Protect yourself from the worst and always hope for the best.

You’ve worked so hard to get where you are right now, you don’t want to potentially lose it all. Think about it; you aren’t planning on getting in a car accident but you have car insurance. You don’t think your house will burn down but you have homeowners insurance. Do the right thing and get yourself covered.

Organizing Finances

Chances are that you had to take out a some loans in order to pay for medical or dental school. Because of that, around 85% of medical school students, and even more on the dental side, graduate with six figures in debt.

Unless you win the lottery, you’re not going to be paying all of that off in just one day. It takes planning and organization.

If you’re well into your medical career, you’re probably past the point of debt. If you’re still in the early stages, it’s still something that’s hanging over your head.

Hopefully, you already have a plan in place and are acting upon it. If not, it’s time to sit down and see the bigger picture or better yet, meeting with an expert to go about making a plan. Whatever you end up doing, make sure you stick to your guns and stay focused.