Writing for Personal and Professional Wellness

Abstract

Writing is a part of every academic career in medicine, yet many busy clinicians have difficulty finding time to write and may see it as extra work during their time off. This professional development perspective offers a reframing of writing, not as extra work, but as a wellness activity. The National Academy of Medicine's (NAM) National Plan for Health Workforce Well-being identified seven priority areas where action should be taken to increase wellness in the workforce. Professional writing can "support mental health and reduce stigma" (an explicit NAM priority area) by allowing workers to express gratitude, practice reflection, and write without a deadline. Writing also addresses the NAM priority area of "create and sustain positive work and learning environments and culture" by giving opportunities to support your colleagues, invest in your team, celebrate success, find satisfaction in the sciences, and seek and find healing. By intentionally writing to process emotion and manage work stress, we shift the paradigm for busy clinicians to improve their well-being while simultaneously contributing to academic success.