Santina Wheat

A year ago, I wrote a blog post called This is the Weekend I Don't Work That title is still true. There is one weekend every year that I do not schedule shifts, pick up coverage, or convince myself that I can push through “just this once.” That boundary exists because of what that weekend holds. Years ago—long before I ever wrote about it—I was working multiple shifts during that same weekend. I ended those shifts by rushing my mother to the hospital after she had a stroke. Within a short...

If you’ve ever tried to change anything —exercise, boundaries, your schedule, how often you say yes—you probably know about Quitting Day. It’s the day motivation wears off.It ’s the day the pager goes off early, a kid gets sick, a meeting runs long, or you fall behind and think, See, this is why I can’t do this. And in medicine, Quitting Day tends to show up fast. Not because you lack discipline or grit.But because you’re trying to layer change on top of a system that is already maxed out. So...

The last week of the year moving into the new year carries certain weight. The New Year Can Shine a Light Even if you’re still seeing patients, answering emails, or keeping things afloat at home, there’s a natural pause in the air. Something is ending. Something else is about to begin. For many healthcare professionals, that pause invites reflection—but reflection often turns harsh. A mental list of everything that didn’t get done, every boundary that slipped, every goal that quietly faded....