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Cooper's Compassion & Resiliency Experience (C.A.R.E.) Program

Cooper's Compassion & Resiliency Experience (C.A.R.E.) Program

Supporting team member well-being across the Cooper community

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From Doing to Being

Some days you finish work feeling accomplished. Other days you finish work. That's it. That's the accomplishment. Maybe you've had back-to-back meetings. Maybe you've spent the day caring for patients, solving problems, answering emails, putting out fires, making decisions, or taking care of everyone except yourself. And eventually your brain announces: We're done here. Our first instinct is often to argue with it. "Come on. I should be able to do one more thing." "Other people have more on their plates." "Why can't I just push through?" Sometimes pushing through is necessary. But sometimes you're simply tired. And adding a layer of judgment to exhaustion doesn't make us less exhausted. Now we're just exhausted and giving ourselves a hard time about it. One of my favorite ideas from psychology is that we don't always have to fix what we're feeling before deciding what to do next. We can notice: I'm exhausted. I'm frustrated. I really don't want to do another thing today. And then, instead of fighting those feelings, ask a different question: Given that this is how I feel right now, what matters next? Maybe something genuinely needs your attention. But maybe the answer is going home. Maybe it's eating dinner with your family. Maybe it's sitting quietly for ten minutes. Maybe it's walking the dog, watching something ridiculous on television, going to bed early, or deciding that the email really can wait until tomorrow. Wellness isn't always about doing more. Sometimes it's recognizing that you've done enough. And there's an important difference between giving up and choosing to stop. Giving up says, "I can't handle this." Choosing to stop says, "I've noticed what my mind and body are telling me, I've considered what matters, and this can wait." Tomorrow will bring another list. For tonight, maybe you don't need to finish everything. Maybe you just need to finish today. The takeaway: You don't have to feel energized, motivated, or positive all the time. Sometimes psychological flexibility means making room for exhaustion rather than fighting it—and choosing what matters from there. Today's challenge: Before doing "just one more thing" tonight, stop for a moment and ask: "Does this actually need me right now?" If the answer is no, let today be enough.
Author PhilPosted on September 8, 2026September 8, 2026Categories Daily Dose, Wellness Wednesday

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The materials and information on this website have been prepared or assembled by the C.A.R.E. Team and are intended for informational purposes only. Some of the information may be dated and may not reflect the most current developments. Any opinions expressed on or through this website are the opinions of the individual author and do not reflect the opinions of Cooper University Health Care.

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  • From Doing to Being
  • Perspective Shift
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  • About
  • Programs & Services
    • Current Initiatives
      • Advancing Joy in Medicine
      • Daily Dose
      • Virtual Gratitude Wall
    • GME Wellness
  • Resources & Tools
    • By Topic
    • Leadership
    • Stress First Aid
  • GME Wellness
  • Latest Updates
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