Making Medicine Fun Again

The alarm went off. I looked at the clock – 6:15 am. Time to get up, get ready for another day at work. In the past, I would have many thoughts about how I did not want to go to work. I was tired from the mundane work. Tired from the everyday demands related to patient care and administrative tasks. Another common thought was that it would be a long day. As you expected, a typical day felt particularly long and dreaded. I ended up just wanting to survive another day. Having any fun at work? That was an idea too luxurious to entertain. It was almost a miracle that I did not drown from all the work I had.

Does this sound familiar to you?

As I was becoming more efficient at work, I gradually realized that I was barely surviving day after day. Besides adding back meaning to my work day, I wanted to make it more fun. In all seriousness, we only live once in this world. Most of us spend the majority of our time working. This is true probably for many full-time physicians. We work extra hours we did not sign up for – the hours which are not recognized with overtime compensation. How is it possible to make a day like this more fun? I am not talking about turning the dial of the fun index from negative to the positive extreme; it is possible to sprinkle more fun in your day to make it more doable.

First, connect with your purpose. What is your goal for the day? It is no secret that my goal is to take care of my patients and go home on time. Appreciate yourself. Realize how much value you offer and how much you are helping people. Appreciate the opportunity to serve, even though you may be exhausted, even though you may be tired of working where you are.

Second, pick any routine and make it a game. For example, set yourself a time limit of how long to complete a patient’s note. Or plan to say something to make your patient laugh. The fun thing is, you get to decide what to do. You set the rules. That itself is quite fun. If it fits your personality or your patient’s personality, crack a joke or two. Smiling and laughing makes it more fun.  

Third, take scheduled breaks in your day. A break is not just to recharge your body and your mind, it is also an opportunity for you to be creative. Plan and design what you can do in five minutes, for example. Take a walk outside, do some jumping jacks, listen to your favorite music, or eat your favorite snack. Incorporate some fun factor in your breaks – which means that it is important to set times for breaks in the first place.

Fourth, always celebrate. Celebrating something is fun, be it a birthday, a patient completing chemotherapy, or a milestone of any kind. You get to celebrate anything you want to celebrate. You get to create more opportunities to celebrate, that is, more fun moments. Celebrate that you have taken care of three patients so far. Celebrate that the patient is responding to treatment Celebrate that you have a meaningful connection with the patient’s family. The more you celebrate, the more fun you create in the day, and the more you get to appreciate what you do.

Fifth, schedule something you enjoy doing after work. For example, going to the beach and fish off the shore – that is what my husband does on a regular basis. Or schedule a dance class. Or watch your favorite drama. The anticipation of doing something you enjoy doing elevates the fun factor, not to mention when you are actually doing that activity.

Sixth, make your workspace more fun for you. If you have your own office, set it up in a way that you like. Make it personal. Potted plants can make your room more lively. Incorporate some artwork. I like to display artwork from my patients. In my office, I have five paintings from four different patients, a photograph from another patient, a crochet doll, a few plants and some other trinkets. Having a personalized workspace makes it more fun. When I look at those personal items, it reminds me to be grateful.

There are many different ways to make it more fun at work, even on a hectic and busy day. Having more fun makes the day go easier. It is easier to focus, to do your best work, to carry a light-hearted attitude. When you incorporate more things to increase the fun factor, people around you will feel the same. Work is serious. Work is hard. By creating more fun at work, it brings back meaning to what you do. It allows you to get through the day not just surviving, but actually being present.