Academic Medicine Open Forum

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  • 1.  Tip Tuesday: Overworked and under-vacationed?

    Posted 12-07-2021 07:58:00 AM

    Today’s post is for everyone, but is especially critical for those of you in Idaho, New Hampshire, Alaska, South Dakota, and Oklahoma.

    Map of US noting top ten states least likely to take time offThe tip is this: PLEASE TAKE A DAY OFF. Better yet, take a full vacation. Workers in these 10 “under-vacationed” states are leaving the most vacation days (annual leave hours) unused. Check out the full report.

    There have been some great posts and discussions in this community about maintaining well-being and avoiding burnout. Taking time away from work to rest and recharge is among the recommended strategies for self-care.   

    If you’re working in Maine, Hawaii, Arizona, Alabama, or Wisconsin—the states with the least unused vacation days—do you have any advice to share with your community colleagues?  How does vacation help you recharge?  How do you make this a priority? 

    @Rachel Alfiero, @Maria Chun, @Ricardo Correa, @Carole Boudreaux, @Shobhina Chheda - what do you think the secret is to using time off, as members of the least underused vacation states?

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    Penny Schnarrs
    Virtual Communities Program Manager
    Association of American Medical Colleges
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  • 2.  RE: Tip Tuesday: Overworked and under-vacationed?

    Posted 12-08-2021 08:37:00 AM

         I don't know the "secret," but I need to get better about really taking time off, not responding to the email notifications that pop up on my cell phone screen. I am excited to learn your secrets.

         I also tend to take my vacation time to manage family errands, like the day before Thanksgiving. Since we started working from home, my instinct is to log onto my work account as soon as I turn on my computer, even if I intended to read the news. 
         The last time I really disconnected from work was on a family vacation to Disneyland, in the pre-pandemic days of 2019.



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    Carolyn Pointer
    Assistant Professor
    Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
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