Struggle to unwind? We asked those in high-pressure roles, in which often it really is a matter of life and death, how they meaningfully decompress after a busy day in the clinic.
Dr Nabila Laskar, consultant cardiologist and specialist in cardiac imaging at St Bartholomew’s Hospital
“As doctors, we can become so accustomed to being needed that rest starts to feel unproductive. I’ve learned not to ‘optimise’ every moment. My working life is highly structured and outcome-driven, so the greatest luxury is sometimes doing something with no measurable purpose at all.
“I use small pockets of recovery rather than waiting for an entirely free evening, because they rarely arrive. Walking slowly, putting my phone away while having a hot drink, sitting in silence, taking 10 quiet minutes before the household wakes up, spending unstructured time with my two daughters. From making all the decisions at work, I make minimal decisions at home and try to go with the flow. That contrast helps me genuinely switch off.”
Professor Debbie Shawcross, liver specialist and professor of hepatology and chronic liver failure, King’s College London
“To switch off from the intensity of medicine: I paint. I’m a self-taught artist and work mainly in watercolour and acrylics, particularly atmospheric landscapes, skies and cityscapes. There is something wonderfully absorbing about starting with a blank sheet of paper or canvas and having to think only about light, colour and what is immediately in front of me.
“Medicine and academic life are fast-paced, analytical and often dominated by decisions, deadlines and responsibility; painting uses a completely different part of my brain. When I’m painting, I become totally immersed in the moment and the noise of the working day disappears. Creativity gives me the headspace to reset and regain perspective; whether it’s a couple of hours at the weekend or painting plein air somewhere beautiful, it is probably the closest I come to genuine mindfulness.”
Dr Francesco Lo Monaco, consultant and preventive cardiologist and author of ‘Heart Saviour‘
“Doctors are often good at prescribing recovery while treating it as optional for themselves. As a cardiologist, I can finish the day still mentally replaying decisions and conversations, so switching off requires a deliberate transition rather than simply arriving home.
“I grew up in Sicily, where mornings began with a walk and evenings often ended around the table with family. A quiet walk without [my] phone gives me a physical boundary between the intensity of the clinic and the rest of my life. I also write down anything that requires action before I finish work. The brain tends to keep rehearsing unfinished tasks because it is afraid they will be forgotten. Putting them somewhere allows me to say, ‘This has been captured; I do not need to solve it tonight.’
“At home, an unhurried meal and conversation are more restorative to me than passive distraction. I try not to eat while answering emails or carry my phone from room to room. Being present with other people is often what breaks the work mindset most effectively.
“After a particularly stressful day, I avoid trying to counter one form of intensity with another. A punishing late workout or ice bath may add further stimulation when the nervous system is already highly activated. Gentle movement and several minutes of slow breathing – with a slightly longer exhalation than inhalation – help create a more genuine physiological downshift. I protect sleep as I would protect an important appointment. Devices stay away from the bed, the room is kept quiet and I try to maintain a consistent schedule.”
Dr Lamia Zafrani, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist
“Powerlifting is the closest thing I have to meditation. You can’t step under a heavy barbell while thinking about emails, operating lists or tomorrow’s clinic. If your mind wanders, the lift doesn’t happen. For that hour, the only thing that exists is the next movement.
My week involves looking after women with complex high-risk pregnancies, C-section operating lists, labour ward on-calls, emergency gynaecology and early pregnancy scanning clinics, as well as night shifts. After particularly difficult cases, we’ll often debrief before leaving the hospital. It’s a simple habit, but it creates a natural boundary between work and home. There are still patients you think about, and there always will be.
“I also love hiking. It’s the complete opposite of a hospital environment: fresh air, open space and time to think. Since becoming a mum, I’ve introduced my toddler to both. She loves watching me train and has already accompanied me on plenty of hikes in a baby carrier.”
Tim Lane, consultant urologist and robotic surgeon at the East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust and president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
“For many years I bred seahorses in my spare time – I had always been fascinated by them. I followed Project Seahorse [a marine conservation charity] for many years and became a scientific fellow of the Zoological Society of London as my interest grew.
“My time with these fascinating creatures was always the ultimate antidote to the inevitable stresses of a busy clinical career. Although I am no longer actively involved with breeding programmes, I continue my worldwide quest to pursue the ‘leafy sea-dragon.’ To date, I have only ever seen them in aquariums in Singapore and Barcelona. The search continues.”
‘I need to slow my thoughts down so hobbies are very important to me. Music and watching classic cinema really helps me unwind,’ says Professor K Ray Chaudhuri (Photo: Nathan Clarke)Dr Anjali Mahto, consultant dermatologist and founder of Self London
“Since having a coronary stent three years ago, exercise has become even more important to me in terms of protecting my heart and maintaining muscle. I lift weights three times a week and do cardio – either running, rowing or incline walking, another two or three times. I like training hard enough that I have to focus on what I’m physically doing. I rely far more on routine than motivation – my training is booked into my week well in advance.
Running my own clinic is mentally dense: you are constantly assessing risk, making decisions and managing complications. The fatigue often comes less from the number of hours than from being the person everybody ultimately looks to for a decision. I also need some genuinely quiet time when I get home. After a day in which people have needed constant attention and reassurance, being with my family, eating properly and having a period when nobody requires an immediate answer is deeply restorative.
[At work] you spend hours leaning over patients, concentrating intensely and holding tension. I have a non-negotiable massage every week, focused on my back and shoulders.”
Professor James Larkin, consultant medical oncologist at The Royal Marsden
“I make breakfast for my teenage kids each morning (always eggs). Then as a family, with my wife too, we all head to our CrossFit gym and work out together. I train for an hour, five days a week in the mornings. It’s a mix of cardio, strength training and gymnastics, with elements of Olympic weightlifting and mobility built in. CrossFit is a real community and is very social. I also prioritise getting six to seven hours of sleep most nights to support recovery.”
Professor K Ray Chaudhuri, world-renowned expert in Parkinson’s, professor of neurology and movement disorders at King’s College London and leading consultant neurologist at King’s College Hospital
“My schedule is travel-heavy, I am away one to two weeks of every month, often crossing time zones and I juggle clinical work, academic work, advisory roles and lectures. I also have a young son at home in London. Sometimes I have to give a diagnosis of Parkinson’s to younger patients who may not be suspecting it. If I have delivered diagnoses two or three times a day, I’m psychologically and mentally drained and need to slow my thoughts down so hobbies are very important to me.
“Music and watching classic cinema really helps me unwind. I love listening to podcasts on people I admire and their ways of dealing with life and playing guitar when I can. I like to delve into music history, particularly rock and the 60s, and discover new bands from the past. Recently I have been listening a lot to Canned Heat.”
Dr Nilofer Farjo, hair transplant surgeon at Farjo Hair Institute
“In my line of work, surgery can take between six and eight hours, so it can be hard to switch off after work. I don’t mind though, I find some of the most productive conversations and decisions happen over dinner. For me, relaxing starts with cooking from scratch at least five days a week. I love the creativity of making healthy meals with whatever I find in the fridge. I’ll often put music on and dance or do some stretches while cooking.
“Sport and dance help me decompress. My husband (who is also my business partner) and I find having a busy social life is what helps us chill. We got into cycling a few years ago and are now hooked and attend regular cycling weekends. We also have a travel and foodie group with friends. Being organised keeps me sane and a big part of that is having a continuous to-do list.”
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