Struggle to unwind? We asked those in high-pressure roles, in which often it really is a matter of life and death, how they meaningfully decompress after a busy day in the clinic.
‘I try to make minimal decisions at home’
Dr Nabila Laskar, consultant cardiologist and specialist in cardiac imaging at St Bartholomew’s Hospital
“As doctors, we can become so accustomed to being needed that rest starts to feel unproductive. I’ve learned not to ‘optimise’ every moment. My working life is highly structured and outcome-driven, so the greatest luxury is sometimes doing something with no measurable purpose at all.
“I use small pockets of recovery rather than waiting for an entirely free evening, because they rarely arrive. Walking slowly, putting my phone away while having a hot drink, sitting in silence, taking 10 quiet minutes before the household wakes up, spending unstructured time with my two daughters. From making all the decisions at work, I make minimal decisions at home and try to go with the flow. That contrast helps me genuinely switch off.”
