Fed up? Want the system to change?

By Susan Kersley | Published: June 6, 2013

As a doctor who is  fed up with the system but as someone who hopes your life will change on its own, remember that the power is in your own hands to make the changes you really want. If you believe that stress and overwork must always be part of working as a doctor and that those can’t change unless someone else does something or the system itself changes, then think again. When you do things differently then other things around you change too and eventually the system itself will change. So, the best way to initiate change is for you to do something. Until you do something another way, your life will continue as before. You have to take action, step out of your comfort zone, for your life experience to change. When you begin to do this, then others will react to what you do differently, because when you change, others change in their response to you. Just like a spreadsheet, when one thing changes then everything else changes too. Without action on your part, your life will continue in the way it always has. When you apply the simple strategies to your life you can live the life you truly want. So don’t delay any more. Start today to create the life you truly want: you can  have a more balanced life. You can do it. Call me!

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More time for you now

By Susan Kersley | Published: May 24, 2013

Most days there is just far too much to get done. If only there were more hours in the day!!

You know you have to get started on some really boring tasks but once again the day goes by and they just don’t get done.

The art of procrastination is alive and well. The longer the task is put off the more it seems to resemble something like a load and the load seems to get heavier and heavier the more you think about making a start. Where is the load inside you?  Close your eyes for a moment and imagine being able to lift it out and hold it in your hand (or hands if it’s very big!) With this load in your hand, what does it look like? What colour is it? What is the texture? How big is it? Does it make any sound? Can you make it smaller, much smaller; softer; lighter colour; lighter in itself?

Can you make it small enough to blow it away?

OK now tell yourself it’s time to decide on the very first step of the task you are delaying.

Perhaps some tips to add to your time management skills could also be useful?

By the way if you haven’t got a kindle ‘More time for you now is available as a printed book too


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No more procrastination to achieve your goals.

By Susan Kersley | Published: April 21, 2013

When I’ve written about setting goals, I’ve emphasized how important it is to break the big goal, into smaller do-able steps, because sometimes you can live with an intention about something and be daunted by the size of the task. By breaking it into manageable steps it becomes much easier to move forward step by step to achieve your goal. As you complete the steps it’s useful if they are written on a chart and ticked once completed.
But so many people when asked why they haven’t done what they said they would do, answer with ‘I’ve been too busy’ ‘I’ll get around to it, one of these days’ and so on. There are a hundred and one reasons and excuses for not actually doing something. If you’ve followed the suggestion about small steps and still haven’t taken the action, perhaps the step you chose was still too big. Break it down to something even smaller. Ask yourself, ‘what has to happen before I can this or that?’
Ask yourself too if your stated goal is the right goal. A common reason for procrastinating is that you aren’t passionate about achieving your stated goal! What are you passionate about and have you the same feelings about what you say you want to do?
If you are passionate about the vision you have, and about the goals you have set out to achieve, then you have to just do it. This is the tag line used by Nike and I love it. It’s simple and to the point. Too often in a culture of having to ‘get approval’ from someone else, we lose the impetus to ‘just do it’ If you want something done, if you feel strongly about something, if you notice something which needs doing, if you hear about a problem which you can solve then just do it.
Take the steps which need to be taken, contact the people who need to be contacted. Tell others that you are going to do what you are going to do, then just do it.
Sometimes this will involve you changing a long-term habit, and that might be difficult. You, like everyone, are a creature of habits. But these can be changed. Before you go for the big ones, try changing a habit or two unrelated to your goal. For example, eat something different for breakfast, take a different route to your destination, wear a different style of clothes, whatever you want, but change something each day!
Then you will find that when it comes to the first step it will be so much easier to make progress.

 

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Work life balance for you

By Susan Kersley | Published: February 12, 2013

It’s not uncommon for doctors just like you to feel dissatisfied with their life.

You like them may think there is little you could do to improve the situation and may be blaming ‘the system’ for most of your frustrations at work.

Yet you are becoming increasingly aware of how these spill over into your home life and social life too.  You find that Medicine takes so much of your waking hours that you have little energy left for the few hours left each day when you are supposed to be living the rest of life.  The whole concept of work-life balance may seem an impossible dream.

You know you want something to be different but are not quite sure what you really want, when you would like the change to happen,  why you want to change, who might be able to help you or how to make the changes you want to make.

So there’s the challenge. Can you make the shift from thinking about how frustrated and unhappy you are to changing your life to be more in line with the way you want it to be.?

Is this just a  pipe-dream or could it actually be possible to make changes which would improve your life in some ways so at least some of the frustrating parts wouldn’t overwhelm you so much and more of your time could be spent following more enjoyable pursuits with people you want to spend the time of day with?

Having  a more balanced life and finding time to do more of what you want to do is possible.   When you start to examine what’s happening and the reasons for it you can begin to find that there are things that can be changed quite simply.

The easiest first step is to pick just one thing that annoys you.  Ask yourself  what could happen instead for things to improve for you. Then challenge your assumptions about the situation. Ask if it really has to be that way and what small thing has to change to make a difference to you.  Which of your  boundaries have to change? Who will you tell that you will no longer so such and such?

As you tease out the situation in this way you are very likely to find a very simple change  that would make a difference to your working practice.

You have to take courage in your hands and talk to the person involved. For example tell the person who makes the appointments you are not prepared to see any extra. Doing this will enable you to leave earlier, have time for a swim or meet your children from school or whatever else you want to  do if you went home earlier than you do now.

 

 

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How working with a coach enables you to have a life and find your perfect balance between medicine and life

By Susan Kersley | Published: February 10, 2013

Perfect Work Life Balance

How working with a coach enables you to have a life and find your perfect balance between medicine and life

A coach:-

  • Pushes your buttons – so you think about whether you could make changes
  • Encourages you to do things you hadn’t considered before- so by doing something different other things in your life change too
  • Reminds you to keep on track with  your projects- so you achieve what you want
  • Follows up your promises of taking action – so you move forward step by step
  • Energises you to get started- by believing in your ability to succeed
  • Coaches you to find the solutions right for you- so you are empowered
  • Talks about the pros and cons of what you might do- so you move forward with conviction

 

  • Believes in you and your capabilities, so your self-esteem improves
  • Answers your questions, so you understand more about the process
  • Listens to you fully –so you feel  respected
  • Alerts you to possible challenges –so you are prepared for them
  • Never criticises your ideas, so you feel valued
  • Communicates with you appropriately –so you feel listened to
  • Encourages you at every step, so you keep going until you achieve what you want

Look here for some recent feedback from doctors about how they experienced  Coaching from me. 

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Doctor, here is: Time for You

By Susan Kersley | Published: January 17, 2013

In my experience  the most common issue that doctors want to discuss with me is:

Wanting more balance in their lives.

Coaching around work-life balance tends to  include discussing time management as well as self-care, and the meaning of success. As a Coach I encourage my medical clients to recognise how  vital it is that they have a life outside of medicine. They don’t always fully understand the concept that  there is more to life than medicine because there is so much pressure to pass exams in order to climb their perceived ladder of success.

A doctor’s life can be, and often is,  very stressful as well as  busy and overwhelming. An internet search for stress, burnout and doctors will bring up hundreds of articles about this common experience amongst doctors.

Working as a doctor is not only challenging and busy but also interesting so most doctors are passionate about medicine.  Sometimes both they and others may wonder how they keep going with so much to do and so little time to do it. The work-load can be overwhelming and there seems to be no way to lessen it.

However there are ways that doctors can lead a fuller life so that medicine is fulfilling yet be combined with a satisfying  life outside of medicine.  With coaching they can discover ways to have more time for family and friends,  their partner, their community, and for nurturing themselves body-mind-and-spirit and having fun.

Over the years I’ve found that doctors having a few coaching sessions with me have been able to find ways to move forward and lower their stress levels especially in areas connected with time management, work life balance and their health and well-being.

I’m working towards producing ways that you can improve these parts of your life with information by email and on my web site, yet many doctors (in or out of Medicine) find that one to one personal and confidential coaching offers a way to have a sounding board and be motivated and that the individual  attention is something that you can’t get from a generic course aimed at helping many doctors.

If you’ve never experienced how coaching can empower you to make changes and enable you to discover your own solutions then this is for you.

Please go HERE to pay and book for your Personal Strategy session.

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Gifts for the New Year

By Susan Kersley | Published: December 21, 2012
Happy New Year

Happy New Year

 

Washing you Seasonal Greetings and a Very Happy, Healthy and Successful New Year for 2013

It’s that time of the year when you can make new promises to yourself and decide to make the changes you want to your life.

Read about coping with New Year Resolutions and gifts to give yourself here: (and if you don’t have a kindle you can download a kindle app for either your Mac or PC from  Amazon.

http://amzn.to/TFtM9r

PS It’s only 77p to buy but if you click the link on 31 December or 1 January 2013  -  absolutely no charge to download!!

PPS a review on Amazon would be appreciated!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Doctors and holidays another article.

By Susan Kersley | Published: November 14, 2012

I wrote previously about doctors and holidays and have just read an article from Software Advice about the same subject you might find interesting. I wonder whether you think the same rules apply to those of you who have their medical practice in the UK?

What struck me is the stories of so many doctors who never take holidays at all.  This can only lead to increased stress and an effect on general health and well-being.

Time for a holiday?

Here is the article: (Click the heading to read the whole article )

5 Rules for Taking a Vacation as a Solo-Practice Doctor – Software …

medzip911.com11/13/12

5 Rules for Taking a Vacation as a Solo-Practice Doctor Software Advice (blog) It’s hard enough for any of us to consider taking a vacation in the current economic climate, let alone those of us responsible for the health of …

 

 

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Kindle book about time management for doctors

By Susan Kersley | Published: November 11, 2012

Usually just £1.91 – however On 12 and 13 November 2012 you can download my kindle book Time management mistakes nearly every doctor makes - completely free:

Click HERE

 

Time Management mistakes nearly every doctor makes.

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How will you feel when feeling stressed is no longer a problem?

By Susan Kersley | Published: November 7, 2012

The news is always full of stories about stressed and overworked doctors who  wonder how they can cope with all the tasks that have  to be fitted into each day.

If you are a busy doctor  what would be the most important issue or problem you would like to get rid of?

  • managing time more effectively?
  • having a better work-life balance ?
  • looking after your health and well-being?

Please let me know HERE by answering a short survey.

Click here to take survey

Take some  time to think about your life and whether it’s the way you want it to be.

Then work out, step by step what you need to do differently.

Always start with yourself because by changing yourself others will respond differently.

One of the most important things you can do is to improve your level of communication by listening twice as much as talking. This will improve the morale  within the practice and lead to a new more productive working environment with partners and staff becoming more motivated.

You will find that if you make small changes in the way you work that you can achieve real change for the better both for yourself and for the your medical practice.

Just like a spreadsheet when you change one thing everything else changes too.

It’s easy to stay stuck and not do anything to change the situation. People who have taken steps to do things differently are surprised at how easy it turned out to be. They have procrastinated for ages because they thought taking the first step would be more difficult.

 

Make the decision about what you need to do, find someone such as a coach or mentor to support you and go forward to live the life you want.

 

 

Keeping motivated…..

Posted in Challenges for doctors, Coaching Doctors, Stress | Leave a comment

  • Time Tactics for Doctors

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  • Feedback:

    I have been a reader of your materials and site for some time whilst I wrestled in my own head with my work/life imbalance. The opportunity to have a session with you was a welcome one and even before we spoke you helped me refine the questions I was asking myself. During the session you enabled me see a number of perspectives that I hadn't before. I came away with more work to do but a better framework for helping me to move forward. Thank you. Steve, Dad, Consultant and Clinical Director.

    I found Susan's name searching the internet for "coaching for doctors". At the time, I was at a low ebb, feeling overwhelmed by my workload and considering changing jobs.

    After 3 coaching sessions, antidepressants and CBT, my whole attitude is transformed. I am managing my workload much more effectively, have been able to make some helpful changes to my working week, and feel much more positive about the future. I now feel able to contemplate exploring creative interests outside of work and to consider planning my career over the next 10 years. It is hard to believe how far I have moved forwards in just a few weeks.
    Thanks, Susan, for listening and encouraging. GP in Devon

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