Wellness Week - January 20-24, 2025

Day 1 - Practical Wellness: Welcome to Emergency Medicine Wellness Week 2025! (January 20th, 2025)

Practical Wellness: Welcome to Emergency Medicine Wellness Week 2025!

Emergency Medicine Wellness Week is an important event that reminds us both of the critical role Emergency Medicine plays for our community AND that we as providers are not an infinite resource. Our health matters and optimizing this in order for us to be sustainable, energized and empathetic is a worthy pursuit, as our wellbeing serves our families, our community and our patients.

I am honored to provide a sneak peak into some of the content this week, and to put a plug in for a great National Grand Rounds that we are hosting as the Wellness Committee.

The challenges are great, but I do sense that things are stabilizing in our profession. I reminder from last year great post from Dr. Sara Gray, there are many positives to our profession: To requote:

The Upsides of Emergency Medicine:

Lifesaving Interventions: Emergency medicine provides the unique opportunity to save lives and make a significant impact on patients in their most critical moments. The ability to act swiftly and decisively is a source of immense pride and satisfaction for emergency medicine physicians.
Novelty: Emergency physicians encounter a wide variety of cases, from trauma and acute illnesses to minor injuries and psychiatric crises. This diversity keeps the profession intellectually stimulating and ensures that no two days are the same.
Rapid Problem Solving: The fast-paced nature of emergency medicine requires physicians to think on their feet and make crucial decisions quickly. This constant problem-solving cultivates adaptability and sharpens clinical skills.
Teamwork: Collaboration is integral to emergency medicine. Physicians work closely with nurses, paramedics, allied health, and specialists to provide the best care possible. The camaraderie and support within the team can be immensely rewarding.
Community Impact: Emergency departments often serve as the first point of contact for individuals in crisis. This makes emergency medicine physicians vital community healthcare providers, offering immediate care and guidance when needed most, particularly for marginalized populations.

So we bring you this week some tips and tricks toward Practical Wellness. Day 2 is a post from Dr. Dawn Lim on a rethink of control and framing around generosity as a way of reharnessing energy toward important things in your life. Day 3 is a preview of our topic for National Grand Rounds: Healthier Shift Scheduling: “We’re tired of being tired”. We have a great panel who will talk through many aspects of work scheduling, as well as some discussion around Advanced Career or Practice Emergency Physicians. Day 4 brings us a great post from Dr. Huma Ali on some happiness science around meditation and how it’s practice can enhance your life. Day 5 is a wrap up of the week, and a post by Dr. Alvarez reminding us that there are many things we can do that balance Personal Wellness and Systemic Change in Emergency Medicine.

Let us remember both the excellent aspects of our job and its profound importance, but also to give space to be thoughtful in enhancing any practices, processes or supports that can sustain us in order for a long and rewarding career. I look forward to this week!

Dr. Rodrick Lim

Dr. Rodrick Lim is a Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Western Ontario. He is the Medical Director & Section Chief of the Paediatric Emergency Department at the Children’s Hospital and the Chair of the Wellness Committee, and the vice-chair of the Academic Committee at CAEP. He could not be more thrilled to be involved with a diverse group of passionate, capable and dynamic individuals in the wellness community.

Day 2 - Practical Wellness: "Assume their best intentions" (January 21st, 2025)

Practical Wellness: “Assume their best intentions”

By default, I think I’m right.

And in line with this belief, naturally I try to control how people around me behave and think. If you believe this doesn’t apply to you, ask yourself if you’ve ever done any of these things:

Escalated an argument with a trainee consultant by saying “fine–I want to speak to your staff then!!!” (then slam the phone).

(Maybe that trainee has been awake for 28 hours straight and hasn’t had a chance to eat or catch up with their work load and will get yelled at by THEIR staff in the morning).

Complained that “other doctors aren’t working fast enough.”

(Maybe that “slow doctor” is going through a lawsuit for making a mistake that lead to a patient’s death).

Complained that “other doctors can go fast because they aren’t providing quality care.”

(Maybe that “fast doctor” experiences visceral stress by seeing the WTBS numbers balloon).

Judged a colleague for calling in sick.

(Maybe they really. are. sick).

Rolled your eyes when a patient came to the ED for a non-urgent reason.

(Maybe that patient wants to feel like a human today). In her book “The Let Them Theory,” writer Mel Robbins talks about the benefits of giving space for people to do what they want. She points out that you can only control 3 things: what you think, what you do or don’t do, and how your process your emotions. Assume that the person in front of you is doing the best that they can under the current circumstances. It might not be what you want. It might not be up to your standards. Their behaviour might even hurt you.

But it is a gift of a generous heart to give people some grace.

Understand that you do not know the reality of the person in front of you. If you want to make it part of your team culture to truly believe that everyone is doing their best, then you must align your actions to your words.

Otherwise, it’s just an exercise of check boxes.

The next time someone disagrees with you or raises an opinion that is opposite to yours–take a pause. Let them have the space to see the world differently. Be curious about their point of view. Use humour and genuine care to understand how you two can come up with a solution where both sides can win.

When you give up the need to control how someone else behaves, you can retrieve all of that wasted energy and focus it back on you. Or your kids. Or your partner. Or your dog.

They all deserve the best of you to show up.

Dr. Dawn Lim

Dr. Dawn Lim (she/her) is a staff emergency physician and assistant professor at the University Health Network. She is a photo essayist and life coach particularly interested in changing the culture of shame in motherhood and medicine. She uses the power of stories to work with doctors and teams facing burnout. You can click here to sign up for her weekly blog on helping fellow mother-doctors thrive.

You can connect with Dawn to further the conversations!

Day 3 - Practical Wellness: National Grands Rounds - Healthier Shift Scheduling: "We're tired of being tired" (January 22nd, 2025)

Practical Wellness – National Grands Rounds – Healthier Shift Scheduling: “We’re tired of being tired”.

Hi everyone! We are so excited at presenting National Grand Rounds today on an important topic, shift scheduling. We hope to:

Discuss how shift work impacts our long-term morbidity and mortality.
Recognize how fatigue impact our cognition, productivity and error rates on shift.
Differentiate which important factors influence how shift work intersects with individual performance, safety and health.
Summarize the key takeaways from the CAEP Position Statement on Advanced Practice Emergency Physicians.
Assess key strategies for healthier physiological scheduling.
Illustrate how groups can optimize the scheduling process.

We have a great panel consisting of Drs. Sara Gray, Louise Rang, Brittany Campbell, Judy Morris and Fraser MacKay! See you there!

Day 4 – Practical Wellness: The Power of Mind Control: How Meditation Can Help You Find Peace and Happiness (January 23rd, 2025)

Practical Wellness: The Power of Mind Control: How Meditation Can Help You Find Peace and Happiness

In the hustle and bustle of modern life, it’s easy to feel like your mind is constantly racing, jumping from one thought to the next, never quite staying in the present moment. This phenomenon, known as “mind-wandering”, is something we all experience. Whether you’re trying to focus on work, enjoy a conversation, or simply relax, it can feel as though your mind has a life of its own. But did you know that this constant mental chatter could be affecting your happiness?

What is Mind-Wandering?

Mind-wandering refers to the tendency of our thoughts to drift away from the task at hand, often to unrelated or random topics—past events, future worries, or even things that have no immediate relevance to our present experience. Research by Killingsworth and Gilbert (2010) found that, on average, people’s minds wander nearly 47% of the time. While a little daydreaming might seem harmless, persistent mind-wandering, especially when it’s focused on negative or stressful thoughts, has been shown to decrease happiness.

The Science Behind Mind-Wandering

Our brains have a set of regions known as the “default network”, which kicks in when we’re not actively focusing on a task. These regions are responsible for things like thinking about the past, imagining the future, or even speculating on what others might be thinking. While these cognitive abilities are essential for planning and reflection, they can become a double-edged sword when they pull us out of the present moment, leading to stress, rumination, and even anxiety.

The problem is that mind-wandering tends to happen automatically. As soon as we stop focusing on something, the default network activates and takes us on a mental journey, often without our conscious control. This constant mental wandering can make us feel disconnected from the present and contribute to feelings of unhappiness. In fact, studies show that people are less happy when their minds are wandering, compared to when they are focused on the task at hand.

How Meditation Can Help

The good news is that we can train our brains to regain control and reduce mind-wandering through the practice of meditation. Meditation, in its simplest form, involves bringing your attention back to the present moment and focusing it on a single point of reference—whether that’s your breath, bodily sensations, or even a thought or mantra.

Research has shown that regular meditation practice can help quiet the default network and reduce mind-wandering. For example, a study by Brewer et al. (2011) found that expert meditators, compared to those who don’t meditate, showed less activation of the default network during fMRI scans. What’s even more remarkable is that this reduction in mind-wandering wasn’t limited to when meditators were actively meditating. Their brains were better able to stay focused on the present even outside of meditation, suggesting that the benefits of meditation extend throughout the day.

Meditation and Happiness

The impact of meditation on happiness is not just a theory—it’s supported by research. A study by Fredrickson et al. (2008) found that people who engaged in loving-kindness meditation also known as “Metta” meditation (a form of meditation that focuses on cultivating positive emotions and goodwill toward others) reported increased positive emotions over time. Participants who meditated regularly showed an increase in happiness, even when they weren’t actively meditating.

In addition to boosting happiness, meditation has been linked to other benefits that enhance well-being. For instance, mindfulness-based meditation has been shown to increase social connection and kindness, fostering feelings of empathy and closeness to others. The study demonstrated that practicing loving-kindness meditation for just a short period could significantly increase social closeness, not only toward the person being meditated on but also toward others.

The Long-Term Benefits of Meditation

Meditation doesn’t just help in the short term—it can also strengthen your brain over time. Research from Harvard (Holzel et al., 2011) found that participants who engaged in an eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction program experienced increased gray matter in areas of the brain involved in self-regulation, attention, and emotional control. This means that regular meditation can literally change the structure of your brain, making it easier for you to stay focused and less likely to be pulled into negative thought patterns.

How to Get Started with Meditation

If you’re new to meditation, start with just a few minutes a day. You don’t need to sit in a quiet room for hours or clear your mind completely—simply bringing your focus to your breath or a positive thought for even 10 minutes a day can make a difference. Over time, you’ll notice that your ability to stay present in the moment improves, and your mind becomes less prone to wandering off into stress-inducing thoughts.

Here are a few tips to get started:

Find a comfortable space: Sit or lie down in a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed.
Focus on your breath: Pay attention to the sensation of air entering and leaving your body. If your mind wanders, gently bring your focus back to your breath.
Use a mantra or affirmation: Repeat a positive phrase to yourself, such as “I am present” or “I am calm.”
Practice regularly: Try to meditate at the same time each day, even if it’s just for a few minutes.

You can search for guided meditations online or find some through apps – YouTube, Spotify (personal favourite: Sarah Blondin) or download the Insight Timer app and search for a meditation of your choice. You can specifically find Metta meditations, if you so choose.

A Simple Practice for a Happier, Healthier Life

The practice of meditation offers a powerful antidote to the stress and unhappiness caused by mind-wandering. By learning to focus on the present moment and quiet the chatter of the mind, we can reduce anxiety, improve our emotional well-being, and even enhance our social connections. So, if you’re looking for a simple yet effective way to boost your happiness, consider adding meditation to your daily routine. Your mind—and your happiness—will thank you for it.

References

Killingsworth MA, Gilbert DT. A wandering mind is an unhappy mind. Science. 2010 Nov 12;330(6006):932. doi: 10.1126/science.1192439. PMID: 21071660.

J.A. Brewer, P.D. Worhunsky, J.R. Gray, Y. Tang, J. Weber, H. Kober, Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 108 (50) 20254-20259, (2011).

Fredrickson BL, Cohn MA, Coffey KA, Pek J, Finkel SM. Open hearts build lives: positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2008 Nov;95(5):1045-1062. doi: 10.1037/a0013262. PMID: 18954193; PMCID: PMC3156028.

Hölzel BK, Lazar SW, Gard T, Schuman-Olivier Z, Vago DR, Ott U. How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective. Perspect Psychol Sci. 2011 Nov;6(6):537-59. doi: 10.1177/1745691611419671. PMID: 26168376.

Santos, L. The science of well-being. Coursera. https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being

Dr. Huma Ali

Dr. Huma Ali is an Emergency Physician working at South Health Campus Hospital, in Calgary, Alberta. She did her medical school and Royal College Emergency Medicine training at McGill University. She has a Master of Arts in Healthcare Leadership and is a trained Schwartz Rounds facilitator. She is a physician collaborator with Well Doc Alberta and Well Doc Canada where she educates on the topic of formal physician-to-physician peer support and trains physicians to become peer supporters. She is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary and a certified spin instructor.

Day 5 – Practical Wellness: Rest, Reflect, Recharge: Balancing Personal Wellness and Systemic Change in Emergency Medicine (January 24th, 2025)

It’s a wrap! Thank you for taking the time to follow along during Wellness Week. It has been a great week filled with some practical advice. Here is a great post by Dr. A’Lai Alvarez to reflect on the theme: Rest, Reflect, Recharge: Balancing Personal Wellness and Systemic Change in Emergency Medicine

Wellness Week offers a chance to reflect on the balance between personal self-care and systemic change. While practicing self-compassion and implementing individual wellness strategies are essential, they cannot replace the need for institutional efforts. Improving the culture of wellness and efficiency in our workplaces requires systemic changes that address the root causes of burnout and stress. Still, focusing on what I can control—my own well-being—is a necessary step toward navigating the challenges of our profession. It also allows me to set boundaries and avoid getting pulled into every drama or feeling obligated to constantly put out fires.

Aligning my actions with my values is key to staying resilient. Taking breaks or stepping back to reset isn’t just a good idea—it’s absolutely essential. I am at my best when I’m feeling well-rested, which is why I prioritize time for recovery, even when it feels inconvenient. Yet, so many of us fail to take the breaks we need. A recent study found that emergency physicians often take fewer than 14 consecutive vacation days, despite evidence showing the restorative benefits of extended time away from work. While the nature of our profession and life demands can make this challenging, it is possible. Prioritizing rest has been a powerful act of self-compassion and a necessary investment in my well-being.

At the same time, addressing the basics—adequate sleep, proper nutrition, and regular reflection—is vital. When stress feels overwhelming, I ask myself, “In five weeks, five months, or five years, will this still matter?” This practice helps me shift my perspective and ease the weight of immediate pressures. Incorporating gratitude into daily life is another evidence-based way to enhance resilience. Research has shown that gratitude practices, such as writing down three things I’m thankful for each day, help improve my mental health, reduce stress, and foster emotional balance. Gratitude rewires the brain to focus on positive experiences, creating a buffer against the challenges we face.

As an emergency physician, I know that I have chosen a hard path, but it is one that allows me to make a significant impact on the lives of others. By focusing my energy on cultivating a sense of belonging—for myself and my colleagues—I can transform how I view my work environment, fostering connection and purpose. While individual strategies like these are essential, they are most impactful when paired with systemic changes that promote a culture of wellness. Together, these approaches help me not only navigate the demands of my profession but also practice with meaning, sustain my work with purpose, and cultivate a deeper sense of professional fulfillment.

Dr. Al’ai Alvarez

Al’ai Alvarez, MD (@alvarezzzy) is a national leader and educator on Wellness and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. He is a clinical associate professor of Emergency Medicine (EM) and the Director of Well-Being at Stanford Emergency Medicine. He co-leads the Human Potential Team. His work focuses on humanizing physician roles as individuals and teams by harnessing our individual human potential in the context of high performance teams.

Interested in joining the CAEP Wellness Committee? Email jgale@caep.ca to get involved.

Wellness Committee

Wellness Resources

Wellness Week – January 20-24, 2025