How to Survive the Holidays: Dental Edition
I don’t know about you, but December seems to be one of the busiest months for us in Dentistry. Lots of patients coming into the office, trying to squeeze in the last prophy appointment and dental work before December 31st hits and their insurance rolls over. On top of extra hours and extra patients, the holidays are in full swing with parties, office lunches, specialty offices dropping off treats, and gift exchanges. It can be a lot to handle! Here are a few tips and ideas to help these next few months go by a bit smoother.
1. Take Time for Yourself.
Yes- it may seem impossible with everything going on. But, spending a few minutes for yourself during the day will be helpful to recenter and figure out what’s most important. Keep going to the gym (if you love that), listening to your favorite podcast (I love Tale of Two Hygienists)
2. Don’t start Christmas Music in your office too early.
It can be tempting to try and sneak it in and blast it early in the month. But, maybe ease into it a bit. We even created a playlist to hopefully balance out the holiday music with the everyday music to make this month go a little better.
3. Don’t stress about gifts for your office.
I know, it’s definitely fun to give gifts. It is honestly one of my favorite parts of the season! Finding the perfect gift for someone. But, if your office normally exchanges gifts for everyone, it might be time to suggest something different. Maybe donate the money you’d use for gifts to a local charity, or sponsor a Sub for Santa child if you have a giving tree close to your office.
4. Buy yourself new clinic shoes.
Nothing is better than new shoes. You deserve it to get you through the month!
5. Drink lots of water.
When dentistry gets busy, basic things like going to the bathroom or drinking go out the window. Make it a priority to take at least 1 sip of water in between each patient to stay hydrated during the day.
What are you doing this holiday to make it through?