If you’re a healthcare professional, chances are you’ve felt that bone-deep weariness at some point … the kind that makes your coffee mug feel heavier than a dumbbell. Running a practice, managing patients (and their moods), plus overseeing staff and paperwork can create a perfect storm of stress. So, let’s talk about how to take a break before you accidentally try to chart on your own forehead.
First, acknowledge that needing a break doesn’t mean you’re lazy or uncommitted. It means you’re human, albeit a high-performing human, sure, but one who also needs to recharge. Ignoring your own limits doesn’t make you stronger; it just means you’ll run out of steam faster (and possibly end up snapping at your assistant because she forgot to reorder certain supplies).
The Answer: Take a Break
Short breaks are your daily sanity savers. Step outside the clinic for five minutes. Breathe. Stretch. Check if the sky is still blue. Even 60 seconds of slow, deep breathing between patients can reset your nervous system.
Medium breaks are your mini vacations during the week. Maybe that means blocking off an hour mid-afternoon to take a walk, hit the gym, or grab lunch somewhere that doesn’t serve it in a paper bag. And yes, this might mean adjusting your schedule. But remember: patients prefer seeing a doctor who’s present and alert, not a zombie in a lab coat.
Long breaks are the real game-changers. These are your long weekends, staycations, or even (gasp) actual vacations. A few days completely away from the practice will do wonders for your perspective and your patience. You might even find yourself missing work a little — which is a lot better than dreading it.
A Little Extra Tip
Humor helps too. Share a laugh with your team or watch something ridiculous online during lunch. Laughter drops cortisol levels and gives your mind a pleasant vacation of its own.
Bottom line?
Breaks aren’t luxuries; they’re survival tools. Without them, stress piles up like overdue charts. With them, you’re sharper, kinder, and ironically, far more productive.
So the next time you catch yourself sighing at the schedule or dreaming of retiring to a remote island, take it as a sign: you need a break. Short, medium or long — just take one. Your practice (and your sanity) will thank you.