Micro Skills, Macro Impact (Part 2)

“Time can only be spent. Think of it as your most valuable currency.”

Welcome back to EM Pulse. We are continuing our deep dive with Dr. Resa Lewiss into the world of Micro Skills. If you missed it, go back and listen to Part 1 where we definite micro skills and discuss how they can help you as an early, mid or late career physician. In the second half our interview, we move beyond the career stages and into the daily habits that protect our time, our energy, and our sanity.

Protecting Your Time and Energy

The “Failure Friend” and the Board of Directors

Building on the concept from Part 1, Dr. Lewiss emphasizes that your Personal Board of Directors isn’t just for networking—it’s for survival.

• The “No-Judgment” Call: In EM, bad outcomes happen. You need a person you can call to simply be heard without needing a solution. Whether it’s a mistake or just a really rough shift, having a “failure friend” is a vital micro skill for psychological health.

Networking as an Introvert (and for Women)

Networking often feels “creepy” or superficial, but Dr. Lewiss re-frames it as connecting.

• Arrive Rested: For introverts, the best micro skill for networking is showing up with a full battery.
• Deliberate Rest: This is the practice of doing non-work activities (nature, exercise, meals with loved ones) specifically to return to work with more focus.

Meaningful Feedback: Start, Stop, Continue

Tired of vague “Good job!” feedback? Dr. Lewiss shares her own mistakes in giving feedback and offers a better way to receive it:

• The “One Thing” Rule: When someone praises your work, ask: “What is one thing that stood out?”
• The Framework: To get honest feedback from subordinates or peers, ask them: “What is one thing I should start doing, one thing I should stop doing, and one thing I should continue doing?”

Reclaiming the Calendar: Meetings and JOMO

Emergency physicians often suffer from FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), but Dr. Lewiss argues for JOMO (Joy Of Missing Out).

• Break the “one-hour meeting” mold. Most one-hour meetings can be 30 minutes. Most 30-minute meetings can be 15 minutes. Most 15-minute meetings could be a text or a phone call. Not everything needs a meeting!
• The Power of the Pause: Before saying “yes” to a new committee or project, pause. Ask, “Can you tell me more?” Ask key questions like, what are the goals? What is the timeline? What are the deliverables?

Is Lifestyle Medicine the new frontier?

Dr. Lewiss discusses why many EM physicians are pivoting toward Lifestyle Medicine. By focusing on the “pillars” (sleep, movement, community, and food), physicians can move from treating chronic disease in the ER to preventing it in the community.

We want to hear from you! Which of these micro skills resonated with you? Have you been able to apply these to your daily life and medical practice? Connect with us on social media @empulsepodcast or on our website ucdavisem.com.

Hosts:

Dr. Julia Magaña, Professor of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at UC Davis

Dr. Sarah Medeiros, Professor of Emergency Medicine at UC Davis

Guest:

Dr. Resa E. Lewiss, Emergency Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine Physician, Adjunct Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, TEDMED speaker, educator and mentor.

Resources:

Micro Skills: Small Actions, Big Impact, by Adaira Landry, MD and Resa E. Lewiss, MD

The Visible Voices Podcast, hosted by Dr. Resa Lewiss

Lewiss on Lifestyle Medicine, column on Healio by Dr. Resa Lewiss

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Thank you to the UC Davis Department of Emergency Medicine for supporting this podcast and to Orlando Magaña at OM Productions for audio production services.