This inaugural blog post is about beginnings.
More specifically, it is about two beginnings. The first is the publication of my first ever blog post. The second is of my commencement of surgical training.
Starting a new job can be daunting, whether it’s commencing a new rotation in medicine, or embarking upon a new career path. I imagine the smidgen of apprehension that can be felt beforehand is fairly universal. I certainly feel it.
What do you do when you start a new placement?
Do you have a specific routine?
For me, I normally don’t tend to sleep so well the night before. This usually is the case either when I am returning to work after some time off, including weekends, or when I am starting a new placement. I think it is principally caused by a subconscious awareness that I have an impending early start, overlaid by a mental transition into “back to work” mode.
However, the best thing that works for me is to kickstart the day with a morning routine. I find just 5-10 minutes of movement, whether that’s a body weight circuit or a short HIIT session is perfect to wake you up and shake off the post-slumber cobwebs. It honestly does wonders.
Then, personally, I like to make at least 5 minutes for some meditation. This has become quite popular in many people’s lives and has gained an almost cliché status, yet I find that it helps me to start the day with a balanced mindset. With growing emphasis on civility at work, through campaigns such as #CivilitySavesLives and #HammerItOut to name a few, I find this small but impactful investment just helps me feel a bit less irritable and approach the day more compassionately.
So, on reflection, there really is no perfect routine and everyone has a different way of welcoming the day ahead. I guess the key for me is to figure what works for myself and maintain consistency – maybe even 5 mins of personal mind-space in the morning can contribute to a positive foundation for the day.
Here’s to beginnings.
Vasudev Zaver 