As a woman, there are societal expectations that you be helpful, caring, and nurturing. When you are strong and you have attended to your needs, it’s very natural to want to help others. Humans are hard wired to connect, belong, and contribute. This is what thriving is all about!
What doesn’t work so well is if your bucket is empty and yet you keep plugging along, trying to help others. That’s an easy way to get hurt. That’s the path to burnout as a mother and as a doctor. You feel you don’t have time to pee or eat on shift? It’s because patient care comes first! Right? Right?!
Well, no.
If the doctors and nurses and healthcare team are strong and healthy, so too will be their patients, family members, and dependents.
One of my colleagues said it so well: “someone else’s low priority does not come before my high priority.” Well said (and psstt…do you think my colleague is a man or a woman?).
Today, you’re going to take a look at what you hate to do, but feel you have to do. Make a list.
| Love to Do | Hate to Do | |
| Have to Do | Today’s Focus! | |
| Don’t Have to Do |
My list of hate-to-do/have-to-do includes:
Work emails related to hospital operations
Medical memberships—some have modules and paperwork required for me to stay in good standing
Financial upkeep and taxes
School forms for my kids e.g. field trips, workshops, tuition fees
Medical checkups (yes, I am a terrible patient)
Dental checkups (yes, I am a terrible patient)
Home maintenance
Budgeting and planning
Once you’ve got your list, the first thing is to ask yourself whether any of the things you have to do can be delegated to someone else. You might be surprised, but some people really love paperwork! Go ahead, make someone joyful! If you have a partner, perhaps try to divide these tasks based on strengths and interests?
But if it has to be you to do the task, write the tasks into a notebook and label it “My Brain Dump.” You won’t forget that the task remains undone, but it’s also not crowding your schedule or your mental head space. When you have a 15 minute window and are too tired to do important things, you can tackle 1-2 of these brain dump tasks. But these tasks should never go into your golden window of high creative flow, okay?
Promise?
Question: What tasks will go into your brain dump list? Share in the comments below!
