Published by AMA Victoria, this articles highlights when working long hours in a demanding role as a doctor or healthcare worker it is important to have a safe place to unwind and relax. It also includes a selection of ‘happy places’ as shared on social media during AMA Victoria / Doctors’ Health Fund’s #MonthofMindfulness campaign.
When working long hours in a demanding role as a doctor or healthcare worker it is important to have a safe place to unwind and relax. Our #happyplace is somewhere we can retreat away from the stress of routine, reduce anxiety and find calm. Learn more: https://t.co/PV8pxemWPv pic.twitter.com/4txhwoyLrJ
— AMA Victoria (@amavictoria) June 8, 2022
The Importance Of Finding Your Happy Place
When working long hours in a demanding role as a doctor or healthcare worker it is important to have a safe place to unwind and relax. We often refer to this as our happy place. Our happy place is somewhere we can retreat away from the stress of day-to-day routine, reduce anxiety and find calm. While there is a universal need for a happy place it will differ for everyone. For some it will be tranquil and quiet and may involve daydreaming or meditation or walking in nature. It may also be pursuing a hobby or reading a book or playing music. Others may find their happy place while exercising, swimming or playing or watching sport. It is a place where we can put aside stress and be in the moment. This will bring us happiness.
A benefit of having a happy place is that it provides us with an escape and the opportunity to ground ourselves. This helps us to put things in perspective and diverts our mind away from negative or stressful thoughts. It also increases our feelings of gratitude and decreases anxiety and panic. Another benefit of having a happy place is that it can boost our mood in a matter of a few minutes. Thinking of our happy place – whether it is an actual place, thing, memory, activity or sound – can increase our serotonin and dopamine which can cause an immediate reaction of happiness and calm.
Finding our happy place might take some time, practice, and patience but once we have that place ready, we can find calm and help our mind to relax completely – even if it is only for a while. It is not uncommon for people to have more than one happy place and often our happy place includes family, friends and pets. Memories may also be a happy place. There are moments in our life that we can never get tired of remembering. When we feel the stress coming on, remember these moments and relive them again. A happy moment can last a lifetime if we remember to smile when we think of it.
We feel safe and secure when we are in our happy place. Features of a happy place may be:
- A place where people don’t judge.
- A place where I can find happiness in little things.
- A place where I am comfortable in my own skin.
- A place where ideas and positive vibes are welcomed.
- A place where love is given and taken unconditionally.
- A place where I am by myself and enjoy every moment of it.
- A place where I can use my imagination and be playful.
During AMA Victoria / Doctors’ Health Fund’s #MonthofMindfulness campaign, we invited doctors to share photos of their happy place on social media. Some examples of the entries follow.
Dr Kym Jenkins
Happy place – lots of them – mostly involving water and waves
Dr Tahnee Bridson
Nonno and Nonna’s farm. Nonno with his chickens circa 2000’s ❤️??
Dr Suzanne Marion
Sunny days at Torquay beach with my best mate, Buddy
Dr Geoff Toogood
With my daughter.
Dr. Karen Price
Happy places? Too many. But a combination of nature, beauty, silence and lack of time table come to mind. Home in the summertime (with no shoes of course) the promise of family friends & laughter also.
Dr Bec Szabo
Almost anywhere with the sun.
Dr Nardine Elzahaby
My happy place, our mat, our puzzles, the most fun times.
Dr Jasmina Kevric
Happiest place on earth.
Dr Magdalena Simonis
— Magdalena Simonis (@drmsimonis) May 18, 2022
Dr Simon Judkins
My happy place? When I think I’ve helped make others happy… that might be family, friends, colleagues… but bringing some joy to another’s day, month, life is what we should all aiming for… #TheMeaningOfLife #ItsAboutTheVibe
Source article and photo credit: https://amavic.com.au/news—resources/stethoscope/the-importance-of-finding-your-happy-place
Associate Professor Magdalena Simonis AM is a Past President of the AFMW (2020-2023), former President of VMWS (2013 & 2017-2020) and current AFMW National Coordinator (2024-2026). She is a full time clinician who also holds positions on several not for profit organisations, driven by her passion for bridging gaps across the health sector. She is a leading women’s health expert, keynote speaker, climate change and gender equity advocate and government advisor. Magda is member of The Australian Health Team contributing monthly articles.
Magdalena was awarded a lifetime membership of the RACGP for her contributions which include past chair of Women in General Practice, longstanding contribution to the RACGP Expert Committee Quality Care, the RACGP eHealth Expert Committee. She is regularly invited to comment on primary care research though mainstream and medical media and contributes articles on various health issues through newsGP and other publications.
Magdalena has represented the RACGP at senate enquiries and has worked on several National Health Framework reviews. She is author of the RACGP Guide on Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery and co-reviewer of the RACGP Red Book Women’s Health Chapter, and reviewer of the RACGP White book
Both an RACGP examiner and University examiner, she undertakes general practice research and is a GP Educator with the Safer Families Centre of Research Excellence, which develops education tools to assist the primary care sector identify, respond to and manage family violence . Roles outside of RACGP include the Strategy and Policy Committee for Breast Cancer Network Australia, Board Director of the Melbourne University Teaching Health Clinics and the elected GP representative to the AMA Federal Council. In 2022. she was award the AMA (Vic) Patrick Pritzwald-Steggman Award 2022, which celebrates a doctor who has made an exceptional contribution to the wellbeing of their colleagues and the community and was listed as Women’s Agenda 2022 finalist for Emerging Leader in Health.
Magdalena has presented at the United Nations as part of the Australian Assembly and was appointed the Australian representative to the World Health Organisation, World Assembly on COVID 19, by the Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA) in 2021. In 2023, A/Professor Simonis was included on the King’s COVID-19 Champion’s list and was also awarded a Member (AM) in the General Division for significant service to medicine through a range of roles and to women’s health.
