- With Mayo Clinic oncologist
Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
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Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
"The magic of the electronic village is transforming health information. The mouse and keyboard have extended the stethoscope to the 500 million people now online." - Dr. Edward Creagan
The power of the medium inspires Dr. Edward Creagan as he searches for ways to share Mayo Clinic's vast resources with the general public.
Dr. Creagan, a Newark, N.J., native, is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hospice medicine and palliative care. He has been with Mayo Clinic since 1973 and in 1999 was president of the staff of Mayo Clinic. Dr. Creagan, a professor of medical oncology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, was honored in 1995 with the John and Roma Rouse Professor of Humanism in Medicine Award and in 1992 with the Distinguished Mayo Clinician Award, Mayo's highest recognition. He has been recognized with the American Cancer Society Professorship of Clinical Oncology.
He describes his areas of special interest as "wellness as a bio-psycho-social-spiritual-financial model" and fitness, mind-body connection, aging and burnout.
Dr. Creagan has been an associate medical editor with Mayo Clinic's Web sites and has edited publications and CD-ROMs and reviewed articles.
"We the team of (the Web site) provide reliable, easy-to-understand health and wellness information so that each of us can have productive, meaningful lives," he says.
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Stress blog
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April 1, 2009
Feeling overwhelmed? Take a stress break
By Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
A comment from a colleague at a social gathering has stayed with me over the past several weeks. This colleague is an international expert in the internet and has come on board to launch some major technology programs with high risk in the setting of high reward. This individual is the quarterback of an all-star technology, media and communications program.
He shared with me that his new responsibilities are very much "like drinking out of a fire hose." On a daily basis, he juggles 200 e-mails, countless interruptions and endless meetings, and is expected to make profound decisions without the luxury of profound deliberation.
I asked him how he keeps his sanity in face of these challenges. His survival tactics are relatively simple yet ones that many of us often ignore:
- Practice mindfulness/total engagement. Turn off the pager and the phone and turn your back on e-mail to focus on the task at hand. Dedicate x amount of time on x project until it is either completed or well on its way.
- Make a list of priorities. This might be digital with a personal digital assistant or just with pen and paper. But without a list, it is very easy to become distracted by innumerable demands.
- Acknowledge that there is a limit on your time and energy. As we have repeated here on multiple occasions, this means restful sleep, nurturing one's spiritual and psychological dimension, and at some point turning off the lights and heading home.
I am reminded that many of the world's great spiritual thinkers took time from their ministry to go to the wild place, the deserted place, the mountains or just the garden for time of introspection, prayer and rejuvenation.
So, where do we find our garden or quiet place when we are bombarded by demands, expectations and deadlines?
5 comments posted
May 4, 2009 3:07 p.m.
I also take time in the morning to contemplate the day, do some reading, and practise creative dream building with visualization. Something else that helps me manage the physiological affects of stress are the use of botanicals - specifically adaptogens. With consistent use, I can literally tell the difference in myself and my family.
- Bill
April 16, 2009 7:11 a.m.
How sad.. people don't even have a moment to watch a sunrise or a sunset.. life is too short to juggle 300 e-mail a day.. absurd!!
- Michael
April 8, 2009 9:45 a.m.
When I'm stressed, anxious, and unable to concentrate, I take a walk two times around the outside of my building (the property perimeter is 1/2 mile) and try to empty my mind of the running narrative and of all conscious thought. I've noticed that when I do this every day, I am more focused, disciplined, and motivated in all areas of my life.
- Ellen
April 7, 2009 5:49 p.m.
I sometimes get up to 200 emails a day. I work a 40hr week, am an organizer of 3-4 active groups, am the media liaison for another group, have my own business and take care of the needs of an Asperger Syndrome child. My only free time is when I get to sleep and/or on the toilet. Only the Lord knows how I manage to stay focused.
- Michele
April 7, 2009 4:50 p.m.
One of the things that I do is take time in the morning before I get out of bed and let my mind wander. If I can't do this, I lie quietly and think about the day's or week's tasks. I realize that this is not possible for everyone; however, even a brief quiet time in the day is helpful.
- Barbara
5 comments posted