Practising what we preach: A healthcare leader’s activity reset

Sudheer Shabir – PCN Manager, Halifax Central

Like many people, I tend to “yo-yo” between being very active and not active at all. It’s easy for me to slip into the familiar pattern of tomorrow… a couple of days… next week when it comes to exercise. I play football weekly, but over the past year, I haven’t done much beyond that. If I’m honest, the biggest barriers have been the excuses I make to myself.

Things changed when Hannah Davies, our General Practice Physical Activity Champion, shared news of a discounted membership she had negotiated with Everlast Gym in Halifax. That, along with rediscovering some old shirts at the back of my drawer, gave me the nudge I needed. I thought, why not, for a fiver?

Whenever I exercise regularly, I notice I’m less tired and more focused. I’m a person who thrives on routine, so I’ve made activity part of mine again. Working in healthcare, we often focus so much on the health of others that we forget our own. This was a timely reminder to put my wellbeing back on the agenda.