Today, after a string of hard but professionally gratifying days in the EP lab, a nurse and friend asks me at dinner time while still working in the lab, “Hey, how’s that reading books and writing thing going?” Â Funny how a question lingers in the mind.
A discovery is in the midst. Â Not huge news to most but as a trained observer, the revelation occurs to me spontaneously while working on powerpoint at 2300 hours. Â It is a “two-fer:” Â When new at something, like a beginner cyclist, there is this inwardly generated enthusiasm that must be tempered for balance purposes. Â Secondly, time in the day limits one’s achievements. Â Ablating all day precludes the attaining of peak fitness or peak learning or really little else. Â But, I believe that the best in quality are from those with balance -the balance of time to read a journal article, go to meeting or maybe even review the coagulation cascade so as to understand the mechanism of action of a new blood thinner.
Joining a new group with eight other busy doctors of the heart and doing the rhythm work, combined with many of my patients acquired from 15 years, has created a bustle akin to years past. Â So either it is one of the thunderstorms in medicine where procedures seem to come forth endlessly or it is a pattern that will require common sense managing in the future.
“Balance” in work, so as to father, husband, write, read and soon when the weather changes ride the bicycle, is so fundamental yet difficult to achieve at least consistently.
So for the moment more work, but soon a meeting with a medical assistant and a procedure scheduler to “adjust” things. Â Get balanced and be a better doctor.
JMM