What if I Start Off Already Behind?

It happens more than I want to admit. My schedule starts at 8 am. The patients who booked 8 am appointments are usually punctual. In fact, they are usually about 10 minutes early. Since there have been some scheduling changes with the staff, my assigned medical assistant may start at a later time. The medical assistant or nurse who is scheduled to start at 8 am will help room the patients until the other medical staff members arrive. It usually works fine except when there are three doctors and they all have 8 am patients.

When it is 8:05 am and my patient (who has been in the waiting room since 7:50 am) is not in an exam room, I start to feel anxious. I cannot believe that I am already behind before seeing the first patient.

Sure, I can choose to “nurture” that thought of “I am already behind”. That makes me feel annoyed and frustrated. What follows are questions and more thoughts: Why can’t my paired medical assistant start 5 minutes before 8 am, so I can start seeing that first patient on time? Do I have to bring my patient to the exam room? My whole day is ruined because I start with being late, and it is not even my fault. It is going to be a bad day.

Does that sound familiar to you?

Yes, our thoughts affect our feelings. Our feelings create our actions, including more thoughts. Is it helpful to think that your day is ruined because you did not start on time? You will naturally focus on things which add to the ruin of your day. Think about how you will show up in the exam room when you feel frustrated. Is that the best attitude to have when you are taking care of sick patients? When you are frustrated or annoyed, every little thing may upset you. In a patient encounter, you may be more focused on your feelings rather than taking care of that patient.

There is a more helpful way to handle the situation. Yes, you cannot change the fact that your patient is not in an exam room on time. Acknowledge all the thoughts which come up. Choose a more constructive thought. Instead of thinking that your day is ruined by a delayed start, you can choose to acknowledge the situation – the situation that you cannot change. Acknowledge the thoughts you have about being late. Then decide what a better thought is to focus on. For example, think “I’ve got this”. You will experience more calm and feel more in control of your situation. Because “you got this” and you are in control, you will find ways to figure things out. For example, you are more mindful of the time you spend with each patient. You choose to be more focused to address each patient’s needs within a set time frame. You have a more sustainable emotion as your fuel for the rest of the day. As a result, you are managing it. You are making sure your day is not “ruined”. You are catching up – you got this.

It is not realistic to expect that things will always go your way. If you do, when things do not go according to your plan, you will be upset and frustrated. Control what you can control. Starting your day behind does not have to define the rest of your day. It is how you handle it that matters. Have the awareness of your thoughts and how they affect your emotions. Choose a helpful thought – a thought that generates a pleasant, or at least neutral, emotion. That will determine what you will do or not do. It is possible to manage your day even when things do not go as planned.