Time is a precious resource. It is the most valuable resource we have, because as opposed to money and energy it can not be won back. Once it is lost, time is gone forever. So especially in the hospital I am quite intentional on how I spend my time.

1. Complaining.

   Complaining about the circumstances we work under doesn’t achieve anything positive. It only costs time and energy. It demotivates yourself and the people around you.People who complain should ask this one question:

   • What am I trying to achieve by complaining?
   • Do I want pity?
   • Attention?
   • Do I want to create alignment with others?

     Instead: Use the time to change things for the better or consider working somewhere else.

2. Keeping patients from leaving the hospital against medical advice (AMA).

   Some people do not want to follow our advice. It is their right to do so, as long as they don’t harm anybody else (open tuberculosis) or they are capable of making a good judgement (delusional depression).
   In these situations it helps me to think of someone who doesn’t want to brush his teeth: It is his right to do so. Studies have shown it is better to brush your teeth, but it is their right. Get over it, move on.

   So let them sign the papers, inform the attending and save yourself a lot of trouble: Let ’em go.

3. Teaching patients to be thankful.

   Basically the compensation for the work I do is my pay. OK, OK, I like to hear a „thank-you-for-saving-my-life“ from time to time. It feels good. But it shouldn’t be what we come here for.

   I notice more and more people, who spend lots of time educating their patients about what was all done for them with the goal in mind to hear a thank-you:

   Waste-of-time.

   People either are thankful or they aren’t. There is no point in trying to teach them.

   Question: Which habit did you get rid of to save time? Leave a comment below.