HISMD: Neurologist, Associate Professor in a Medical School
Married (in office). Two kids (4&2). Hybrid (WFH 2-3 days/week; in office/hospital 2 days/week). East Coast. Late 30's.
This "How I Structure My Day" series started with an Instagram post I made about my own life, which prompted a woman to ask if it would be possible to see how women working a more traditional, full-time job did it. I asked women to share, and, man, have people responded. The goal is to show how women from different industries, with and without kids, with and without partners, with family living with/near them and not, wfh to 1+ hour commutes, etc. structure their day. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I do!
The Snapshot
Partner: Yes (in office)
Children: Yes (4 & 2)
Hybrid: WFH 2-3 days/week; in office/hospital 2 days/week
East Coast
Late 30's
Typical Morning
WFH days
6:15am: I typically wake up at 6:15am, take 15min for skincare, makeup, brushing teeth etc, then wake up my husband and kids.
I get the kids dressed (or my kids attempt to dress themselves which 50/50 ends up in a tantrum or tears), while my husband and I get ready, and then I get breakfast for the kiddos and myself (my husband typically eats on the go/at the office).
My husband works close to my kids' school and so he typically does drop off, unless I need the car, then I drive and drop off my husband to work and then kids to school/daycare.
I typically make tea when I get home, or after my husband and kids leave, and chart check/check emails and mentally prep for the day ahead.
In-office days
5/5:30am: I typically wake up at 5-5:30am, and get ready leisurely in the morning. I'll typically take longer for skincare/makeup, eat a more substantial breakfast like scrambled eggs and avocado, and usually chart check my patients for the day while everyone else is asleep.
I'll make lunch for myself and pack it in my bag, since my schedule is typically packed, and then I'll wake the kids and hubs up around 6am/6:15am.
He will mostly get them ready, I'll get breakfast ready, and then he will bring them to school and I'll catch the train in to work.
Morning “Make Life Smoother” Hacks
I have reminders set on my phone when there are specific theme days/special circumstances for school that I especially know I will forget (honestly, who can even remember all of these events??), or when my youngest needs more diapers or wipes or extra change of clothes for daycare.
I often pack their bags the night before, and try to have a "work bag" already packed for my in-office days so I don't have to move things around much the morning of.
I try to have the kids pick outfits out the night before, but inevitably my daughter decides to derail the plan the morning of, and go in a very different fashion direction.
I always pick out my clothes and shoes the night before if I'm not wearing scrubs.
On my procedure days I always wear scrubs which are very low-maintenance and takes 5 seconds to grab and lay out. I love those days.
I have also overall consolidated my morning makeup routine because I value sleep over my eyelashes looking glam, and this has made me a much more pleasant human in the mornings.
Transition into Work Mode
On my WFH days I typically make tea and sit at my kitchen table and ease into checking emails, or write a to-do list for the day/tasks that need to get done.
On my in-office/hospital days, I have a 1h commute door to door, so I typically listen to music on my way in and mentally prepare for the busy clinic I'm walking into. I buy a tea and a second breakfast at the hospital (usually fruit and a croissant, sometimes a bagel, or something sweet if it's been a rough week) and then prep for the procedures in my office before patients arrive.
What my work day looks like
On my WFH days, I either see patients virtually via telehealth, or it is my "admin time", which is where I do all of my non-clinical duties.
If it's a clinical WFH day, I see patients from 8am-5pm. I'll spend the time before patients are scheduled reviewing charts, making notes for what to follow up on, and answering portal messages from patients, which are getting more and more voluminous by the week.
On nonclinical WFH days, I typically have meetings scheduled most of the day. The rest of the time is spent either on the phone doing peer to peers with insurance companies trying to get medications approved for my patients, finishing up notes I didn't sign the day before, calling other providers to collaborate on care of our mutual patients, and following up on the results of imaging and calling patients to discuss. The meetings typically involve my roles in medical education and vary from week to week.
What my work day looks like
On my in-office days, they are typically procedure days, so I see patients from 8:30am-5pm and do all procedures in person.
I typically have a fellow or resident working with me so I often will be teaching at the same time.
Patients are scheduled back to back with little to no break in between, and I rarely run late/behind (huge pet peeve of mine), so there isn't a lot of wiggle room for other tasks those days, unless a patient doesn't show up which is incredibly rare.
I stopped trying to multitask on procedure days and stopped holding lunch meetings or early morning meetings those days so I have some time to decompress or catch up on notes/patient messages.
Some days are more chaotic than others - if I have an already fully booked clinic I may double book patients who are sick and need to be seen urgently. I don't love doing this because it means overall less time with patients, and I like taking my time talking to them and formulating treatment plans with them. But I book out months and months in advance, so if I don't do this, people don't get seen quickly, and they struggle/don't feel well.
Lunch
I cannot function unless I'm eating regularly, and snacking - my brain is mush, so I prioritize regular meals and make sure my fellows eat as well. It's easy working in healthcare to get so busy you miss lunch or forget to drink water. I always eat lunch at 12. I get hangry otherwise. I typically have a second breakfast when I get to the hospital on my in-office days, and then a snack like a granola bar in between procedures in the afternoon. When I'm WFH, I snack often and they tend to be healthier options.
Breaks
I wish! There is an ever-present push to see more patients and to make sure our schedules are full/overbooked. Lunch is typically my only break on clinical days whether WFH or in-office. On my admin days I try to schedule time in between meetings to review the action items and prep for the next meeting. And a few times a month, I try to schedule only 1 or 2 meetings in a day and use the rest of the time to catch up on life things, like doctor's appointments, cleaning the house, errands, etc. I am not good at taking time out for myself - it feels very hard given the season we are in with the kids. I know it's temporary, and once both my kids are in school I think I'll be able to carve out that time more formally. But for now, my me-time is after the kids are asleep, or in the early morning hours, or on my train rides to work.
Leaving work
WFH days I am a hard stop done at 5pm.
In office days I stop seeing patients at 5pm, but sometimes don't get done with work until at least 6pm, then have the commute home.
I typically stop any work-related things from that time until the kids go to sleep, in an effort to be more present with them after pick up, dinner, and play time before bed. Then depending on how the day went, I often start work back up again after the kids fall asleep until I can't stay awake any longer.
4 weeks a year I attend on the inpatient service, meaning I run the neurology service in the hospital, and those hours are incredibly unpredictable.
Transition out of work mode
When I'm in office the transition out of work is easier because of my commute. I physically log off before I leave the office.
When I'm WFH it's a little more difficult, but I try to pause from 5-8:30pm so I can be present with the kids. I tend to get stuck in a cycle of finishing notes and closing charts after the kids go to sleep because it's hard to do them all during the day, and so I typically work until they are done or I can't keep my eyes open.
After work hours
I try to hard stop any work by 10pm/11pm the latest if I'm on the inpatient service.
Sometimes if it's a light nonclinical day I'll be done before the kids even go to sleep.
Kids' bedtime right now takes at least an hour - we have to lay with them until they fall asleep, so I often read on my phone or online shop or occasionally fall asleep on their floor if I'm really tired.
After, I may watch TV with my husband, or just chat with him for a bit, clean up the living room/play area because my kids are insanely messy. It really varies. On nonclinical days I may spend the evening folding clothes/doing laundry or catching up on house/kids to-do's like registering for sports, buying birthday presents for kids' friends, or organizing. On clinical days I'm typically catching up on notes and closing charts.
Nightime non-negotiables
My husband typically does the dishes
I clean up the kitchen/vacuum every night.
I am a night shower person so that is often my wind down time.
If I have energy, I'll fold laundry and clean up the first floor, which is where the kids play.
After work hours
I always have a snack, usually cookies and milk because I am a 5 year old at heart.
I then always take a shower at night as my wind down before bed, do my skincare routine, and then fall asleep insanely quickly because I'm exhausted.
Afternoon/evening “make life smoother” tips
I heavily lean on phone reminders for time sensitive tasks.
I try to get as much of my notes/charts done during clinic so I can be present when the kids are home before bedtime.
I stopped accepting meetings after 5/5:30pm for the same reason.
I also do not have my work email on my phone, which was gamechanging for my mental health in reducing burnout. It keeps me from randomly logging back into work when I'm with my kids and then getting sucked into emails/tasks that I don't need to be doing outside of work hours.
Things you do for yourself/fun during the week
I am really bad at making time for myself right now, there just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day. I really try to prioritize sleep where ever I can, as I'm a much more patient and pleasant person when I get a decent amount of sleep.
One of my non-negotiables each week is I see my therapist. I block it off on my calendar as protected time, and it's the one place I can have all for myself, to work through things and vent. I'm a huge proponent of therapy - it helped me navigate the challenges of being a healthcare worker during a pandemic, and becoming a first time mom during isolation and with no family close by. Most of the things I do for me are little glimmers of fun sprinkled throughout the week.
Outsourcing
Yes! We have a housecleaner come once or twice a month.
We typically order takeout once a week
We also have a gardener come weekly.
Exercise/Body Movement
I'm on my feet a lot for work and end up walking through the hospital/school quite a bit every day.
When I'm WFH I try to take walks outside in between meetings.
I also love to dance so we have impromptu dance parties in the kitchen with my husband and kids or I dance solo.
It's hard to commit to classes or activities during the week, but it's just one season of life, and I know one day I'll be able to.
Anything extra the sharer wants to share
My partner and I are a great team and we tag-team everything after work re: the kids' routines. My partner is also super helpful if I have a late day at clinic or I'm on service, and typically takes the brunt of the cooking/cleaning and kids' bedtime routines so I can finish up notes or answer ER/resident calls. He is incredibly supportive and I am able to work so hard and be successful because he has my back each step of the way. We both know the kids' routines well so it is easy to step in for each other if one has a busier work schedule.
That’s a wrap for this one!
Thank you so much to this woman for generously sharing.
A reminder of the ground rules to ensure women continue wanting to share about their days and feel safe doing so.
Encouraging comments always welcome!
If you have questions or even hang-ups about what someone shared, you are welcome to ask a question for the sharer in the same kind, genuinely curious way you would if you were looking at that woman in her eyes. She might respond through me.
If comments are judge-y or mean-spirited, I reserve the right to delete comments. I can handle being criticized about my own work here (and even still, to a degree – I’m also a person), but I go into full mama bear mode when people come after my people – including women who are being vulnerable and sharing in the first place.
Thanks to the vast majority of people who are so kind!
New here? Welcome!
I’m Kelly Nolan, an attorney-turned-time management strategist and mom of two. I teach the Bright Method, a realistic time management system designed for professional working women. In addition to this fun new series, I share bite-sized time management strategies on Instagram. Thanks for being here!
After experiencing overwhelm as a young patent litigator in Boston, I figured out a time management system to help me show up in the ways that I wanted to at work and at home – without requiring my brain to somehow magically remember it all. I now teach other professional working women how to manage their personal, family, and career roles with less stress and more calm clarity using realistic time management strategies. My system, the Bright Method, has been featured in Bloomberg Businessweek, and my work has been published in Forbes, Fast Company, Business Insider, and more. Learn more on my website, come learn bite-sized strategies with me on Instagram, or jump into my free 5-day program.
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