As a practitioner, you work hard every day taking care of your patients. But who is taking care of you and what are you doing to take care of yourself? We sat down with Dr Kristy Lewis ND to learn how she manages to balance her busy practice and her family life. We discovered that for Dr Lewis, time management holds the key to healthy self-care.
Key Takeaways
Evolving care delivery during the pandemic Pre-COVID I was already delivering care through a combination of telehealth, private and group care and one-on-one visits. My patients appreciated the flexibility and I felt great because I was able to meet their needs in a way that allowed me to look after my own work-life balance.
I realized I needed a way to connect with my patients between visits so I developed my podcast “In-Between Visits with Dr Kristy Lewis”. As naturopathic doctors, we know people come into the clinic with great intentions but it was keeping me up at night about how to keep the momentum going between visits.
And that was the birth of the podcast. And then developing the online group sessions in order to keep the connection alive and keep that motivation between visits. COVID accelerated the evolution in my practice, but I had already started moving my care delivery aways from strictly one-on-one, mostly because I was getting burned out. Both my practice and my business were suffering.
Achieving work-life balance As a busy Mom with a practice that is growing, I learned pretty quickly that time management is key to my mental health. And the mental health of everyone around me! As a result, my day is very structured. I create schedules and stick to them whatever it takes.
For me, my morning routine starts with meditation. Having a spiritual practice is important in self-care. Yoga helps you clear your mind and relieve stress. Connecting to something that is larger than yourself might be a significant support in life when you feel overwhelmed. It’s always been there for me.
Right after meditation comes a healthy breakfast where everyone in the family starts with a good meal to ensure they are blood sugar supported and hydrated. And just like that, I'm into my day.
Some days are patient-focused while others are practice-oriented. But whatever my day has in store, I make time for fitness and movement. Exercise is paramount to staying well in mind and body. And a little can go a long way. You don’t have to let go of everything just because you don’t have time to fully indulge. If you don’t have time to go to the gym for an hour, you don’t have to forfeit going. Go for 30 minutes. Get up and run or do some weight training.
The only way I’ve been able to stick to that is to have discipline in time management.
How to make right choices in the moment That moment of discernment, that moment of I choose the apple over the chocolate bar only comes with practice. It’s about being able to be mindful in that moment. It really is about asking ourselves “what do I need right now” and being able to be present and mindful enough to stop and ask that question; whether it's through breath or whether it's through grounding exercises. But it's something that we have to practice so that when we're in that moment, we are not reacting. We are rather responding - and we are listening to what our body needs. I don’t get it right every time - and that is OK too.
On another subject; being a naturopathic doctor, it is easy to get hooked into social media. Social media is where we do most of our marketing today. It is a major part of our brands and our outreach. As a practitioner, I think it’s important to set boundaries to get it done but then put the electronics down at a certain time.
It’s very seductive and easy to get pulled into the technology. Make sure you are always in control and that you can put it down and walk away. What has worked for me is making time to engage in my hobbies. Again, it’s sticking to the schedule! I can’t get sucked into hours of screen time because I’ve made time for music or cooking or something else that I take pleasure in, that isn’t social media or technology-oriented. I love spending time with kids and connecting with friends over a glass of wine. It's a wonderful feeling to be free to just relax because you’ve intentionally made time for it in your schedule.
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The opinions expressed in this Nutramedica program are those of the guests and contributors. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Nutritional Fundamentals For Health Inc.
This video is intended for licensed or registered health professionals and students of health professions only. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Information contained in these programs is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
