Tradition and Reflection
It is hard to believe that December has come upon us again so quickly. Since it is the final month of the year and often the culmination of many months of hard work, December is a wonderful time to celebrate traditions with friends and family and also to reflect upon the past year. Still, for most of us, December is one of the busiest months of the year, filled with holiday celebrations, familial commitments, patients' needs, and for some, the insurance-related procedures that increase our workloads.
There is a buzz that coincides with December. Maybe it is the traditions many of us follow of sending and receiving gifts, the happy wishes to our colleagues, or the simplicity of a little extra time with our families and loved ones. Obviously family time is what is most important to us all and what makes December truly a wonderful time of the year.
However, at the end of the year, I set aside some time to reflect. In 2019, I presented over 40 lectures in four different continents including, Australia, Asia, Europe, and, of course, North America. Each of these trips and lectures has a memory that I will carry into the new year. Hopefully, these trips also become part of a tradition that allows me to return to some of these locations where friends and familiar faces reunite. December happens to be the only month of the year that I do not travel. While I must admit that not getting on a plane for the next 6 weeks truly feels like a vacation, the amount of case pans piling up in my office reminds me that there is still a lot of work to be done.
From a business perspective, I look back on what I have done in the last 12 months. Did I deliver the messages I intended at my lectures? Did I reach and motivate the participants I met? In the laboratory, did I reach my personal goals and elevate the quality of my team? What could I improve in my work, both individually and for my business? Many of us laboratory owners had goals for this year; this is the time when we evaluate what we have—or perhaps have not—achieved. Sometimes a little time for reflection on our work can make all the difference in achieving our next round of goals. This season, let us take pride in the accomplishments that we have made throughout the year, enjoy some well-deserved relaxation time with our friends and families, and look forward to the promise of a new year.
Peter Pizzi, MDT, CDT
Editor-in-Chief
ppizzi@aegiscomm.com
