When I was in medical school, I was talking to a friend who was an avid fiction reader. I, too, love to read, but I remember feeling like I couldn’t find the time. I told him that I didn’t think I could get through medical school successfully if I were reading regularly. I remember he told me kindly, “I don’t think I can get through medical school successfully if I’m not reading regularly.”

That comment really sunk in, and I think of it often when I’m focusing on conventional productivity. There’s a great, recent New York Times opinion piece by Bonnie Tsui that reflects this idea: We need to relax and have fun in order to be creative and successful (although she points out that fallow time should not be seen as just another life hack; there is great importance in recreation apart from its ability to boost our productivity). Take a peek at her piece here. It’s especially important for those entering the demanding career of medicine.