The end of year rush is in full swing. I’m writing this in between cases while were waiting for patients to come from the wards or be admitted. If I seem to jump around a bit, that’s why!
This week has been the “right” kind of busy: I’ve had fun lists with friends that have been challenging but not ridiculously stressful. Instead of waiting til 2023, I had already started implementing some of what I intended to do already including limiting the number of extra on-calls and extra shifts. I can already see it making a bit difference in the overall levels of stress…
Finally, the 2023 calendars have arrived! I’ve shipped out 3 batches already so if you’ve ordered already, it should already be on the way. I wanted to have this out weeks ago, but there were design issues that I mentioned in previous emails, printer malfunction and even getting it delivered from 1 suburb away took a while! At least they’re here one project is complete…
The print quality this time around has been great though! Worth the wait!
I’m looking over the data on what people seem to like about this newsletter and will be making some changes next year. Based on the link clicks, it seems that the blog is the most interesting thing to people, followed by the quote of the week.
The other parts seem to get variable levels of interaction so I might go and fiddle and change things around. I’d love to know what you ACTUALLY read and find valuable. After all, I like newsletters that has relevant and interesting things and I want this one to be that for you. So please do let me know!
Next year and beyond…
This section is more just musings really about what I want to do in the next year. I tend to do this in private normally but I thought for once, I’d share bits and pieces in public to be kept accountable about it all.
Health
If I look back at all the goals that I manage to set and achieve over the years, the number 1 aspect that I don’t end up hitting has to do with health. Year over year, I convince myself that I am young enough to recover from the slight increase in weight or loss in cardio stamina. The truth is, I’m not. I’m well on my way to the decline that inevitably follows with age and unless I start to remedy my ways, I’ll not be able to lead the life I want in the future.
I’m currently at a BMI of 29. It’s within a hair of being considered “obese” and I’m nearly 12kg heavier than I was before starting as a specialist. The slow increase is insidious and hence easy to neglect. Given my ethnic background, tendency for central adiposity and familial risk factors, I’m a sitting duck for diabetes, heart disease and more.
So unlike every other year where a career goal, exam or financial milestone has been the aim, 2023 will be focussing on health first and foremost. Dear reader, if you’re reading til here, I expect that you’ll hold me accountable on this.
Things that I’m doing differently going forward:
- scheduling in gym time into my calendar and giving it a higher priority than any additional work.
- This last bit is huge. I’ve always tried to squeeze any extra requests to help people out but this shift in priority is already making my evenings less stressful
- Gym/PT/Hiking sessions are treated like a work block. That is, except for illness, weather, freak acts of nature, they’re considered relatively non-negotiable. Just like I rock up to work when I feel tired or just plain don’t want to, the same will go for exercise
- Dropping the bar – at the moment, I make the excuse that I don’t have the time. I’m going to set the bar to any 1km jog or 10min run counts as the instance of daily exercise.
- Diet – probably the MOST important thing in this equation really
- I’m taking the cost of healthy convenience food off my mental budget. That is, if I see ok ish (ie. rice and curry) vs more expensive salmon poke bowl, I do not have to consider price in my decision. Health wins.
- Nutritious foods can be bought pre-made or at a premium. I happen to like this couscous and pumpkin salad that I can definitely make for cheaper and save a lot of plastic, but I know I wont dedicate the time to it. I’m making purchases like that totally ok in my head. I’m sure buying that and decreasing animal protein will go some way in offsetting the plastic use
- Meal packing – I’m not likely to meal prep. I don’t really enjoy it and I also tend to work on Sundays either on these creative things or actually clinically. However, as mentioned above, I can PACK together healthy things so that I have a good lunch to take to work
- Also, I intend to pack LARGE meals. I find that I snack at workout of boredom unless I’m assigned the fast or challenging lists. This way, I can be so full that I don’t want to snack
- Water – I’m terrible at hydrating! If you see me around, tell me to drink more water
- While I tend to hate still water, I absolutely love sparkling water. Give me that CO2 and ruin my teeth any day!
- In 2023, I’ll allow myself to buy 1 bottle of sparkling water a day even at extortionate prices and wasting plastic just to get into the habit of drinking more water. Hopefully the Kickstarter project that will allow me to bring my own carbonated water will get delivered soon so I don’t have to be ridiculous for long.
- Keep sparkling water in the car? Maybe get a cube of sparkling water cans? Wont be cold but might be better than nothing!