Editor's note: The Coaches Corner column appears regularly on the DrBicuspid.com advice and opinion page, Second Opinion.
All of us know too well the effects of stress, but what are you doing about it?
As a professional coach, I have heard dentists say things like, "I just want to go to work with a bag over my head" or "Going to the office ruins my day." WHAT?!
Studies such as the ADA's Dentist Well-Being Survey deliver sad details of depression, stress, anxiety, substance and alcohol abuse, feelings of helplessness, and more in alarming numbers among our profession ... and trust me, we're not the only professionals feeling the stress. The medical profession is seeing record numbers of their kind leave the profession altogether, and not because of government healthcare reform proposals!
What can YOU do to better manage your stress level? Of course, I'm talking about healthy ways of reducing stress, not going home after a day at the office and drinking a few glasses of red wine -- all for the sake of heart health. Quite the contrary!
Start with these three simple stress-reducing activities:
Get rid of everything in your life that you're tolerating. What we tolerate is what we put up with. Make a list of everything in your life that makes you feel heavy, dead, trapped, or angry: relationships, poor-performing staff, unfinished projects around the home or office, incomplete organization at the office, or a car in need of repair. Most people I coach end up making a list of 100 or more items. Then, start by solving the easiest ones first and work up to the harder ones. If need be, pay someone to take care of some of the items for you -- at least the ones that don't need your personal attention. Work toward being toleration-free in all that you are and do.
Go for a walk. I know everyone has heard that. How many of you do it? A 30-minute walk has the equivalent effect of taking an antidepressant. Don't have time for a walk, huh? Wrong. You can't afford NOT to take that walk.
Clean out your closets! Sounds silly, huh? It's really not! We carry around more baggage -- literally and figuratively -- than we realize, and IT HOLDS US BACK. Don't believe me? Clean out your desk. Now how do you feel? No, I'm not talking about rearranging it or dusting it. I'm talking about getting rid of the clutter that is cluttering your life and adding to your stress.
Don't stop at your desk! Move on to everywhere you "store" things for some perceived future need or that you've allowed to clutter your life. If you're not sure you'll need it, put a piece of tape on it with today's date. If you haven't used it in six months, give it away, recycle it, or trash it. Pay attention to how you feel about your life, your self, and your energy level when you're finished.
These three simple activities are all I ask you to do -- for now. Will your stress magically disappear? Most likely not completely, but at least you'll be able to see more clearly where you REALLY need to do some stress-reducing work!
Don Deems, D.D.S., F.A.G.D., known as the Dentist's Coach, is a co-founder of the Dental Coaches Association, an organization of dentists who are professional coaches committed to bringing professional coaching to the dental profession. Learn more about professional coaching by visiting www.dentalcoachesassociation.org.
The comments and observations expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of DrBicuspid.com, nor should they be construed as an endorsement or admonishment of any particular idea, vendor, or organization.
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