“You have to decide what your highest priorities are, and have the courage — pleasantly, smiling and neapologically — not to say“ to others. ”
~ Stephen Covey
My mentor raised me. LIVE the words contained in this quote. When I first met her, I worked on my FTE at the NICU, consulted, talked, raised my younger children, signed up for several activities for my children. school and trying to clean my house, help a sports coach, blah, blah, blah.
I know you understood that. Since you have children or not, we all seem to have filled our days with thousands of things, many of which we love, some of which we may need, and the healthy hand of others, which we don’t even like, but feel obligated to do. (Are you with me here ?!)
In the health sector, we offer every day the opportunity to be part of something else. Another committee, another monthly meeting, draft, document, or oversight experience. I am not saying that we should avoid these things altogether. We simply cannot do all this all the time and we hope to preserve our sanity, and all the more the joy of experience. This is part of why burnout is boisterous.
However, we tempt. We are headed. We care about improvement, best practice and, above all, our patients. We were taught that a good parent gives 100% of his time to his children. activities. However, what I learned after many years of maintaining this pace is that we do not serve anyone when we are exhausted all the time. Not our families, our patients or ourselves.
(And we miss unplanned moments like this in the photo. This photo sits on my desk as a favorite. It was made about 9 years ago when my life was filled with cowboys and Indians - yes, even a teddy bear wears feathers)
I'm going to offer you a little experiment. And, fortunately, you do not need IRB approval for this.
- Understand that you have a certain amount of energy to use every day.
- Begin to notice every opportunity that comes to your mind, and understand what you have the choice when you say yes or no.
- An experiment with the words "no" to something - it may be small at first. Say no to have dinner with someone who complains about the mess and drains life from you; say no to join a committee at work that does not serve your long-term goals — you get the idea.
- Watch yourself without saying no. Perhaps a brief concern, and then ... space! You really feel the space in your life.
- Feel slowly saying no to things you don’t like or don’t need, or even want to start feeding on your energy throughout the day, leaving you more to give to people you love and fun you like or find reward
- For all of you, super-donors are there - it's hard for you. You are participating in ALL. You even feel guilty if you are not. But I bet that this one small word will allow you give full to those things that are the most important, a part of your bigger yes & # 39; as Stephen Covey says in a quote. And these other things won't fall apart without you. Maybe someone new will improve and find their joy in this place.
(And deliberately saying that no, it's not me, but another article!)
I had to learn (and still learn) to say no to many things, even things that were good. so I can serve my larger women. in the world - my family, close friends, NANT, NICU, makes me love, health and happiness.
This is one little word that will help you create your life instead of your life creating you. One word of liberation that allows you to focus your amazing energy on your big yes.
Try it this week. Keep me informed. Your more yes & # 39; already happier.
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