Keeping Yourself Mentally and Physically Healthy
Posted on February 3, 2010
Written By Bradford P Smith, Professor Emeritus*
First a disclaimer….The writer* is 65 years old and still rides a bicycle up hills for an average of 1.5 hours a day, back country skis, hikes in the Sierras, travels to interesting places like national parks, Africa and the Galapagos Islands, and has an active family and social life. His memory gets worse every year.
You, on the other hand, are not old and retired. You are young, learning a profession, and have a great memory. You have some advantages, like the youthful mind and body, and some disadvantages, like too little time and too little money. But, like your professional performance, your performance in life is greatly influenced by the habits you develop early. The patterns should include both physical and mental habits.
One of the keys is controlling stress. Stress can lead to many problems unless dealt with properly. First, admit that it exists. Then tell yourself that you will control it rather than vice versa. One thing I like to do is keep lists of things to do, and cross them off as I accomplish each one. The list allows me to free my mind of that problem/duty because I know that it is in the queue and will get taken care of IF IT RISES to the TOP. If it never gets done, it is because it never made it to the top. It also allows me to plan ahead and get things done well before the deadline, so I avoid last minute panic and all nighters.
Second, be sure to exercise and eat healthy foods. It doesn’t take much planning or time to buy a few groceries and eat a good breakfast in the morning, and take a healthy sandwich or salad and some fruit for lunch. When I exercise I feel better, and have more energy and mental acuity, so I gain back the time I spent exercising and can use that time for work or social activities. You will also sleep better. Plan ahead and carve out some time for yourself. You are number one, and only you can care for yourself properly. Many vet students have bodies that consist of 80% water and 20% pizza!
Most of us recognize that we have strengths and weaknesses. One of the keys to happiness is to do some things that you really enjoy (usually involving some of your strengths), so you have time to experience pleasure. Try to spend some time by yourself without a phone or iPod in your ear. For example, I really enjoy biking with friends, but I also love a solitary ride in the hills through the oaks, watching the wild turkeys and deer and many types of songbirds and woodpeckers. I come back from such a ride renewed and feeling hungry and happy. You should also try to work on one or two weaknesses, with the idea of improving your performance. This may be a physical area, or how you relate to other people. Have a short fuse? Work on it. Learn to let little things go, to smile at people and forgive people readily. Studies demonstrate that such behavior earns you a happier, healthier and longer life.
If you find your mind returning again and again to some thought, it is obviously something that is important to you. Figure out what it is, decide how to master it, and work on it. You cannot control what life throws at you, but you CAN learn how to deal with events effectively so you are in control.
You are training to become a good veterinarian. What makes a good veterinarian? Think of the teachers and role models you admire. What are their characteristics? Chances are that you will find you don’t admire them mainly because of their high IQ (although they are likely smart people), you admire them because they treat others well, show an interest in you, and work hard. Role models are likely to be people who are not totally self centered and have found some balance in life that is worth emulating. Work towards that goal and you will be happy.
