As doctors in the field, we all know that the job can get stressful. Hospitals have you running from one hospital wing to the next with people’s lives in your hands. If you work in a practice, you’re dealing with a long list of sick patients with no end in sight.

A doctor’s health is just as important as the health of their patients. If stress is dictating your work ethic, it’s a good idea to consider using these seven stress release techniques to keep you healthy on the job.

1.    Meditate

A few minutes of meditation is an excellent way to get your mind back on track and to centre yourself. The best part is that you can do it anywhere. You can do it sitting, standing, or lying down - whichever is most comfortable.

It’s best to conduct a full body scan when you meditate to have a full sense of how your body and mind is handling everything. To do this, you need to shut out everything around you and focus on each part of your body starting from your toes all the way up to your head. It’ll take a while to get used to at first, so no worries if you have trouble focusing the first couple times.

2.    Don’t Eat at Your Desk

Take breaks away from where you work. That includes your desk, the office, the department or the reception area. This doesn’t mean you have to eat out at a cafe every day. However, you can go off and eat your lunch someplace where you’re least likely to think about work. It’s even better if you can manage to eat with a close co-worker or friend, and talk about non-work-related subjects.

3.    Exercise

When you’re at work, it can be hard to get in a moment of serious exercise. But when you can, it’s perfect for getting your thoughts focused on something else and re-energizing your body and mind.

It doesn’t have to be anything crazy. You could do a quick walk outside or even dance to some music in your office during a break (make sure you close the blinds first!). Any simple activity is all you need release some built-up tension.

4.    Be Positive (Laugh)

Staying positive is another great stress reliever for doctors, especially in an environment of sick patients who already aren’t in high spirits. The best way to keep a positive mindset is with humour and laughing. We advise only using humour as the situation dictates it, but if you are just with colleagues, a good laugh will bring everyone’s moods up.

5.    Eat Healthy Snacks

The stress makes it tempting to go for comfort foods, but it’s better if you can stay away from the doughnuts and sweets. Instead, eat high energy foods like fruits and nuts that you know will keep you healthy and active.

6.    Say “No” More Often

Learn your limits and say “no” when you know you aren’t at your best. Depending on your colleagues, you might be able to ask for help. Overwork does not make the best work.

7.    Leave Work at the Workplace

And finally, keep all the stress and worries of work at the workplace. This isn’t easy, especially after a hard and potentially traumatic day at work. So take it one day at a time and try to spend off-time engaged in fun activities with the people you love.

About James Hill

James Hill is the Founder of Prescript Recruitment and recruits for locum and permanent positions across regional Australia.

James is the author of the soon to be published book 'Full Roster - The Essential 7 Step Guide To Recruiting Doctors In Regional Australia'. He is also a writer of blogs for LinkedIn and the Prescript Recruitment website where he draws on his experience to share opinions on current health staffing issues.

There are three ways to contact James:

1. Call James on 0410 792 310

2. Email james@prescript.com.au 

3. Click 'Candidate Contact' to ask a question online (with the option to upload your CV)

At Prescript we’re known for helping solve the regional doctor shortage in Australia.

Every day we’re focused on two clear outcomes - Helping hospitals find doctors that create departments and clinics that run better, have more capacity and less stress. And placing Doctors in jobs that leave them feeling highly valued, rewarded and, most importantly, enjoying what they do.

We believe that when we get these two crucial things right, it has a huge impact on the regional doctor shortage and the healthcare of communities across Australia.

There are three ways to contact us:

1. Call 1300 755 498

2. Email contact@prescript.com.au

3. Click 'Connect with Prescript' to ask a question online (with option to upload your CV)

We’d love to hear from you!