Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/61842
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++ +++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ PHYSICIAN LIFE BALANCE + + Work & Life B Achieving Balance Between WHEN YOU ARE NOT CARING FOR PATIENTS IN CLINIC, YOU SPEND TIME INSTRUCTING MEDICAL RESIDENTS, PARTICIPATING IN MEDICAL SOCIETIES AND VOLUNTEERING AT LOCAL CHARITIES. DURING YOUR BUSY PROFESSIONAL SCHEDULE, YOU MAY NOT STOP TO TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF, WHICH CAN CAUSE STRESS OR ANXIETY. ALANCE BETWEEN WORK and personal life is a crucial part of managing stress and a way to decrease your risk of depression, conflict, decreased work performance and an overall "burnt out" feeling. To fi nd better balance, think about your priorities and realize that achieving every goal simultaneously is humanly impossible. Examine what you believe to be the sources of stress in your life, and learn to manage these confl icts. Don't forget to take breaks from your work and to regularly visit your own primary care physician. The Heart of the Matter If you've been experiencing stress, innovative coherence techniques may be the solution to managing stress. HeartMath is a system of tools, tech- niques and technology developed based on research about the effect of stress on the human body. Because a balanced heart rhythm has a positive regenerative effect on health, HeartMath techniques help individuals regain this type of balance to manage stress. "Heart rhythms become very erratic under the pressure of stress," says Robert Browning, Director of Program Development at HeartMath. "When we genuinely shift into a positive emotional state while using heart-focused techniques, heart rhythms become harmonious, a bal- ance that has a cascade of effects — a more balanced nervous system, regeneration of hormones and mental clarity." HeartMath techniques are avail- able at more than 100 sites across the country, with more than 3,000 certified coaches. More than 8,000 clinicians in the United States are already using HeartMath techniques in their practices and with patients. There are also programs designed specifi cally for health professionals and health care organizations that potentially offer as many as 25 continuing education units. "So often, caregivers are focused on caring for their patients, families and communities, while forgetting to care for themselves," Browning says. "Health care professionals are in a dignifi ed and appre- ciated fi eld, and they should remember that their own health is a priority." For more information about HeartMath, visit heartmath.com. ■ DON'T LET THE BIG APPLE KEEP YOU AWAY TO RELIEVE STRESS, take a vacation and head to a truly metropolitan destination — New York City. + Be a tourist. New York holds some of the most well-known sights in the world, and there's no harm in exploring these cultural icons. The Empire State Building, the new 9/11 Memorial, the Statue of Liberty and Rockefeller Center are worth battling the crowds. + Catch a show. The Great White Way offers something for everyone — drama, comedy and award-winning theater productions. + Eat, drink and be merry. Splurge on one of New York's fi nest eateries, or grab a slice at Lombardi's, the United States' fi rst pizzeria. If you're craving classic deli fare, head to Katz's Delicatessen for a hand- carved pastrami on rye. Check out sites like the Zagat Survey or Yelp to see what critics and locals recommend. + Explore the outdoors. From lunch at Tavern on the Green to basking in the sun at Sheep Meadow, Central Park is the destination for green lawns, horse-drawn carriages and tree-lined paths in New York City. + Laugh a little. New York City is the host of numerous comedy shows featuring famous comedians. Head to the Comedy Cellar, Caroline's or the Gotham Comedy Club to exercise your funny bone.