Being busy has become our society's badge of honor, but there's no gold medal for exhaustion. We've been conditioned to believe that unless we're hustling and overachieving, we're not doing enough.

• Managing a household alone while your partner works in medicine is challenging, even without children
• It's okay to have days where you choose rest over productivity
• Imperfect moments often become cherished memories
• Finding community with others in similar situations provides essential support
• Lower the bar without guilt during difficult seasons
• Find a "freezer friend" to share meal responsibilities
• Use paper plates, embrace frozen meals, and let the laundry wait sometimes
• Combine social connection with movement through walk-and-talk meetups
• Welcome people into your home even when it's not perfect
• Redefine winning the day—focus on connection, not tasks
• People remember how they felt in your home, not how clean it was

Share this episode with someone who could benefit from hearing this message, and please send any questions or comments my way.

Kristi Hargiss from The Med School Wife shares her family's shocking experience of going unmatched in orthopedic surgery despite a stellar application, and how they pivoted to find success in general surgery.

• After being told not to worry about matching, Christy's husband received the devastating "we regret to inform you" email on Match Monday
• Instead of accepting a position through SOAP that didn't feel right, they made the bold choice to delay graduation and set up six away rotations
• Through these rotations, they discovered general surgery was actually a better fit than their original orthopedics plan
• For those facing the unmatched experience, Christy recommends: grieve later, find mentors, broaden your approach, get to work, and write out your story
• Going unmatched is more common than most realize – in their match cycle, over 8,400 applicants didn't match to categorical positions
• Two key pieces of advice for medical families: embrace mutuality in your medical marriage and start preparing financially for residency during medical school

• The AMA Road To Residency Guide

Connect with Kristi on Instagram @themedschoolwife_kristi or at TheMedSchoolWife.com to learn more about navigating the medical journey together.

Time scarcity creates unique challenges for physician marriages, forcing couples to navigate the perpetual waiting game that comes with medical careers. Amanda Barron shares strategies for maximizing connection in limited time, emphasizing quality over quantity and the power of intentional micro-moments.

• Physician careers create a constant waiting game for partners—waiting for calls back, waiting for them to get home, waiting for schedules to align
• Shifting mindset from focusing on time you don't have to maximizing time you do have
• Creating meaningful "micro moments" of connection—even just 5 minutes can make a difference
• Making weekly date "nights" work (even when they happen at breakfast or lunch)
• Simple connection strategies: quick FaceTime calls, leaving sticky notes, sharing coffee between patients
• Being intentionally present during limited time together creates deeper connection than hours of distracted time
• Giving yourself grace when you're solo parenting or managing with a partner working 80+ hours
• Validating that your frustrations are normal and you're not doing anything wrong

Share this episode with someone who could benefit from these strategies, and connect with me on Instagram @AmandaBarronRealtor or join our private Facebook group for physician spouses. Thanks for listening, and remember—you're never in this alone.