Welcome to InspireDVM!
With this first blog post, I want to thank you so much for being here and tell you a little about why I created InspireDVM. And, I want to let you know what I hope you will find here: some tips and ideas for making your work as a veterinarian a little easier, and a lot more joyful.
Like you, I’m a busy vet with lots on the go. I’ve been in practice for 11 years now, minus 2 years off for maternity leaves, the second of which, I’m just finishing-up. As I look to heading back to work in the next few weeks, I’m thinking about changes I have made over the last ten-or-so years in practice to make my days go more smoothly in clinic, to leave work at work (yup, that’s a thing you can actually do!) and, to go home on time without feeling like I’m letting down my patients, my clients or my colleagues.
If you’d asked me five years ago whether I thought there would ever be a point at which I’d consistently be able to leave the clinic at the end of my scheduled day, or actually keep up with my files and callbacks (bane of our existence, right?!), or not feel frustrated or anxious when looking at the next day’s schedule, the answer would have been a hard and fast, NO. I thought doing the best for my patients meant holding myself to an impossible standard of perfection and being available for any work-related issue at any time. I was giving more of myself than I could to the job, leaving me depleted and unable to participate in other areas of my life. And as committed as I am to my career as a veterinarian, and as much as I truly believe it is an honour and a privilege to do what we do, it isn’t everything. It can’t be everything. I was feeling resentful of my work and unsure of how I’d be able to keep doing it. But, being a vet had been my dream and I wasn’t going to give it up easily.
I changed jobs a few times, seeking that elusive work-life balance, thinking a different clinic, different hours or the locum lifestyle would be the solution I was looking for. Spoiler alert: changing jobs isn’t going to fix all your problems. Things would be better for a little while, but then I would fall back into old patterns of thought and behaviour. It wasn’t until I took a look at my mind-set around work, ditched some limiting beliefs, established some fair and reasonable boundaries and created space to look to the future to figure out what I actually wanted, that things really started to change. Now I can honestly say that I love being a veterinarian. I’m looking forward to going back to work in a few weeks, during a global pandemic in which many vets are busier than ever, because I know I have developed practices that will keep work from taking over my life. I know I can bring my best to work, leave on time (most days—nobody’s perfect) and have more joy in my work and in the rest of my life.
If you’re a newly practicing veterinarian and some pieces of my story sound familiar to you, and you’d like to make some changes to rekindle that spark of excitement in your career, then you’ve come to the right place. There’s going to be lots of free material here, you can expect blog posts a couple times a week and a podcast is in the works if you prefer to get your input through your ears. There’s a Facebook Page where I’ll go live when I’ve got big things to share and, this fall, I’m kicking off the first annual Fast File Finisher Challenge to help you banish the stack FOR EVER. Stay tuned for more on that in the next couple of weeks, the Challenge will kick off September 8th and I’d love for you to be a part of it.
For those who want to dive a little deeper and are looking for more ways to bring together the mindset piece and the practical application, I’m in the process of developing individual and group coaching modules, as well as an online course for you to work through at your own pace. If there are topics you’re particularly interested in, or something you’re finding especially challenging these days, send me a message at jessica@inspireDVM.ca, I’d sincerely love to hear from you!
Please join me, as we talk about the beauty, humour and unique challenges of this one-of-a-kind profession. I want you to feel like the inspired DVM that I know you are.
With compassion and kindness,
Jessica