You don't need a free weekend to feel like you again.
You need a simple framework you can incorporate into even the busiest of clinic days. Meet The Vitality Loop 5Ps—five intentional practices to reverse disconnect, settle your nervous system, return your time, and rebuild momentum. All in about 10 minutes.
This isn’t another massive overhaul. It’s a repeatable rhythm: Pause → Protect → Play → Purpose → Power. Use one per day, or run the full loop when you have a 10-minute pocket.
The 5Ps, in Plain Language
1) Pause — tell your body it’s safe
What it is: Three anchored breaths before the next task.
How: Inhale for 4, exhale for 6, three times. Hand on heart if it helps.
Where it fits: Habit-stack this to an existing cue—EMR login, sanitizer pump, exam room door. Pick on place to incorporate mindful breathing consistently.
Why it works: Downshifts your stress response so your thinking and capacity for empathy return.
30-second script: “Right now I’m safe. One thing at a time.”
2) Protect — make a micro-boundary
What it is: One boundary that returns ~15 minutes of time and/or energy.
How: Choose a recurring drain and write a one-line policy you can use.
Examples:
- “I answer portal messages by 4 p.m. Urgent matters require a call.”
- “I schedule nonurgent meetings on Tue/Thu afternoons only.”
- “I leave the house 10 minutes early so I can go for a short walk before entering the hospital.”
Why it works: Boundaries create time and integrity with yourself (and others) without needing a grand overhaul.
3) Play — add a micro-moment of joy
What it is: A tiny moment that lifts your mood without extra time.
How: One song while you chart or brush your teeth, two minutes of sunlight, stretch hips between rooms, a 10-second inside joke with a colleague.
Why it works: Joy is a renewable resource. Small, regular doses improve resilience and creativity.
Pro tip: Build a 3-song “chart & breathe” playlist. Press play before you open the in-basket.
4) Purpose — aim today at what matters
What it is: Name one value you’ll honor today and one action that proves it.
How: Sticky note: “Today I honor [value] by [action].”
Examples:
- Compassion → Ask each patient one engaging question.
- Courage → Using the boundary statement I wrote.
- Curiosity → Try one open-ended question with the grumpy consult.
Why it works: Values act like a compass when the map is changing every 15 minutes.
5) Power — take a 5–10 minute step
What it is: One tiny action that nudges reality toward what’s possible for you.
How: Send the email. Request the meeting. Block the time. Draft the first 5 slides.
Why it works: Momentum is medicine. Action rewires “I’m stuck” into “I move.”
Rule: If it takes longer than 10 minutes, it’s not today’s Power step.
Why We Practice The 5Ps Together in WPC
Inside Women Physicians Collective, we explore the 5Ps every month. We swap scripts, share playlists, celebrate imperfect action, and keep each other moving—because change sticks faster in community than it does in isolation.
