| p>If you make the effort even while you are busy | | | | for interests apart from work. |
| working to strike a balance between medical work | | | | What sort of activities would be good to pursue as a |
| and the rest of life then you will have a positive | | | | way to balance the stress of Medicine? |
| advantage over those who devote all their waking | | | | This very much depends on you and what you enjoy |
| hours to Medicine only. | | | | doing. You may want to be creative and so spend |
| Even though you may imagine that you will be working | | | | time drawing, painting, sculpting, making things from |
| as a doctor until you reach retirement age there may | | | | wood or clay. |
| be other reasons why you decide to leave the | | | | If you enjoy musical pursuits then perhaps playing a |
| profession. Some of these such as ill-health may not | | | | musical instrument on your own or as part of a band |
| be chosen by you at all. Or you may reach a time in | | | | or orchestra. Some people love singing and so join a |
| your life when you want to explore other ways to live | | | | choir, or acting in local dramatic groups. |
| and so decide to move out of your medical | | | | For others photography or gardening is something that |
| employment. | | | | they can do regularly and takes their mind away from |
| Whatever the reasons for leaving, when the time | | | | medical issues for a few hours. |
| comes to leave Medicine you will have lots of | | | | If you want to improve your fitness you can swim |
| possibilities of what you can do instead if you have | | | | regularly, walk in the open air or run marathons, |
| kept interested in other activities even while you | | | | whichever appeals to you. |
| were busy with your medical career. If, on the other | | | | Keep in touch with family and friends too because |
| hand you have no other interests then you may find | | | | once you retire you may find that the connection with |
| that leaving the profession is a huge transition to make | | | | work colleagues lessens when you no longer have |
| because you have to deal with not only the emotional | | | | that link with them. |
| impact of retiring but also the sense of emptiness of | | | | Don't forget too to be somewhat involved with your |
| losing such a big part of you daily life. | | | | local communities by getting to know your |
| This is why it is so important to manage your time | | | | neighbours and being aware of local activities. |
| effectively however busy you are and to make space | | | | |