Miriam Mutebi, Breast Surgical Oncologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at the Aga Khan University Hospital, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“โ ๐โ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐จ๐ง ๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ค ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ง๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐.
At least, thatโs what my calendar says.
It hasnโt really felt like a break because sometimes, the nature of who we are and what we do makes it that the wheels never really stop turning.
Even when we step away from the wards, the theatres, the clinics, the long consults, our minds donโt always follow.
Thatโs the story of so many healthcare workers.
We fight hard to make sure no one dies on the operating table. We push through exhaustion to ensure patient after patient gets the quality care they deserve. Somewhere in between, we forget that we, too, are human.
We forget to unplug. We forget to rest or donโt know how. Even when it’s recommended, we forget to put ourselves first.
This isnโt just about getting burned out. Itโs about the quiet cost of caring for everyone else, while often neglecting the one person who makes that care possible: yourself.
Think of it like a seed.
A seed has all the potential to bloom into something beautiful. But if we donโt water it, it withers before it ever flowers.
We are no different. Our pause; our rest, is the water we need to keep showing up. Without it, even the strongest among us eventually runs dry.
If youโre a health worker reading this, please hear me:
Your rest is not a luxury. Your well-being is not negotiable. Itโs the foundation for every life you touch.
So my gentle reminder today is as much to myself as it is to you:
Take that pause.
Protect your downtime moments. I know it’s hard to put yourself first when the wards need you, but the wards will always need us.
You canโt pour from an empty cup.
Below:
Me, looking like my cup is full, but trust me, itโs the coffee! :-).
Let’s be intentional about rest and downtime this weekend. Happy Friday!”
More posts featuring Miriam Mutebi on OncoDaily.