It is easy to become distracted by the demands of physician training and lose sight of the passions that we once pursued or enjoyed outside of work.
Extracurricular interests and hobbies are important for our own health, identity and joy and even our patients’ health. But it can be difficult to find time to pursue passions outside of work due to long hours, high stress, physical and emotional fatigue and the constantly changing health care landscape.
Why Keeping Your Passions Alive Matters
First and foremost, maintaining your passions can improve your overall happiness and well-being. Pursuing activities outside of work that you enjoy provides a sense of fulfillment and helps to manage stress. When you feel fulfilled in your personal life, you are more likely to be present and engaged at work, which can lead to better patient care and outcomes.
Additionally, keeping in touch with extracurricular interests can enhance or complement your work as a physician. These hobbies can increase hand-eye coordination, communication skills and diverse perspectives that you can apply to your clinical and surgical practice.
For example, the study of photography may help to hone your observation skills and develop a keen eye for detail. If you are a short-story writer, you may use this skill to help narrate the human experience as a patient, further creating a deep connection with your own patients.
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Dr. Law participates in one of the many YO Lounge events focused on wellness, during the Academy’s annual meeting.
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3 Tips for Nurturing Your Passions
1. Schedule time for hobbies. In addition to maintaining healthy sleep and exercise habits, remember to schedule weekly time in your calendar for hobbies, just as you would for any other important task. Spend time doing something you enjoy, whether it’s playing a team sport, attending a performance, perfecting your craft beer or practicing a musical instrument.
2. Get creative. Sometimes, your past extracurriculars seem difficult to pursue in a new city or small apartment or because of your new work hours. But if you love to travel and can’t take long trips, find a new way to explore your local area instead. Look for new restaurants, parks or cultural events in your community to keep things fresh. Another way to be creative is to align your passions with your work, such as global health, community outreach or helping create a pipeline of students interested in ophthalmology or medicine.
3. Share your passions with others. Finding shared interests among colleagues can lead to new collaborations, ideas or even adventures. It’s also a great way to build lifelong friendships enriched through extracurricular activities.
Finding ways to sustain and incorporate passion in your daily routine or work is essential for your well-being as a physician and for your patients’ benefit. By scheduling regular time for your hobbies, getting creative with your
interests and sharing your joys with others, you can keep your passions alive and thriving.
Always remember that taking care of yourself is the essential key to being a great physician.
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Janice C. Law, MD, is an associate professor and vice chair of education at the Vanderbilt Eye Institute in Nashville, Tenn. She served as chair of the Academy’s YO Committee from 2019 to 2022.