Yale University

Yale President’s Public Service Fellowship

Presidential Fellow

American Public Health Association

Member

Mental Health America

Advocate

NAMI

American Heart Association

Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support Provider

Basic Life Support Provider

Yale School of Public Health

Graduate Teaching Fellow

Horstmann Scholar

Elected Representative of Environmental Health Sciences Department.

Department Representative

City of New Haven

City of New Haven Office of Climate & Sustainability

Community Engagement & Outreach Coordinator

Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

Since 1907, the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTMH) has been dedicated to improving tropical medicine and global health.

Registered Member

National Defence College Clinic

Medical Officer

National Youth Service Corps

Corps Member

Hi there,

I’m Arinze (ah-reen-zay), a medical doctor by profession and recent MPH graduate. I spent 3 years in clinical practice until I had a paradigm shift on the best approach to providing quality healthcare. This, I’m convinced, is through public and digital health innovation!

But my journey to this point has had its share of challenges. At 23 years old and while in medical school, I was diagnosed with hypertension. In the space of a year, I fainted on two different occasions during ward rounds due to exhaustion and sleep deprivation. 

There were days I would overdose on caffeine and go 48 hours without sleep! I was easily irritable, frequently anxious, and regularly overwhelmed. 

Although my career was progressing, my mental and physical health was declining. The worst part? my mindset. Growing up in a culture that glorifies the rat race, I believed this lifestyle was the only way to succeed.

The turning point came in 2022 when I collapsed yet again, and for the third time in my riveting life, while monitoring a woman in labor! I wish I were joking. They say the third time’s a charm, and that event was the needed reset to my mentality. 

Today, I’m normotensive, getting quality sleep, managing my emotions better, and still on the upward curve professionally. 

It’s a journey though, and I’m thrilled to share it with you using personal anecdotes, life lessons and evidence-based research. So, I’ll be posting related content as often as I can here.

Most of what I share would help you balance optimal mental well-being with a thriving career. The rest would be success stories and lessons from failures 🙂

Follow and turn on the notification bell 🔔 –every change begins in your mind.

You are the greatest project you'll ever work on.

Master these 3 R's that keep you moving forward 🔄

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁: How to Begin Again Without Shame

 • Acknowledge what didn't work last time without judgment. Write it down. Learn from it. Then let it go.

 • Start on a Monday, a birthday, or right now. Stop waiting for the "perfect moment" to begin again.

 • Tell one person you're starting over. Accountability removes the option to quietly quit.

 • Reframe "again" as "better." Every restart comes with more wisdom than the last attempt.


𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝘁: How to Clear the Mental Clutter

 • Take 24 hours completely off from the goal. Rest is preparing to come back stronger.

 • Audit your environment. Remove what drains you. Add what energizes you.

 • Revisit your original "why." If it no longer resonates, give yourself permission to adjust the goal.

 • Write three things: What's working? What's not? What's one thing I can change today?


𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀: How to Lock In When Distractions Pull You Away

 • Identify your top 3 priorities. Everything else is noise until these are handled.

 • Time-block your most important work. Treat it like a meeting you can't miss.

 • Eliminate one distraction this week. Just one. Delete the app. Decline the commitment. Create the boundary.

 • Ask daily: "Is what I'm doing right now moving me closer to my goal?" If not, stop and redirect.


You are the greatest project you'll ever work on.

Restart when you stumble. Reset when you're overwhelmed. Refocus when you drift.

Just don't give up.

✍️Which R do you need most right now?

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Arinze Agu. MD, MPH

Don’t sacrifice your wellbeing for a thriving career. You can have it all🪴🏅 | Focus & Energy Management (FEM) | Consumer AI ♾️ Social Impact

The most productive people in 3 years won't manage time.

They'll manage something far more valuable: 

Their 𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴 and their 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺.

Here's why:

Time management promised us control.

But research shows that only 17% of people can accurately estimate how long a task will take.

You can't manufacture more time. And cramming more tasks into your calendar makes you more exhausted.

𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.

The game changes when you shift from "when will I do this?" to "what truly deserves my attention?"

Here's what happens:

▶️You eliminate decision fatigue:

Studies show we make 35,000 decisions daily. Most are noise. Focus management cuts through the clutter and isolates the 20% of tasks that generate 80% of your results.

▶️You stop confusing motion with progress. 

Being busy isn't the same as being productive. Focus management forces you to distinguish between what's urgent and what's actually important.

▶️You reclaim mental bandwidth:

When you work on fewer priorities, your brain isn't constantly context-switching. Research from the UCAL found that it takes an average of 23 mins to refocus after an interruption.

𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗱𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.

You can focus on the right things at the wrong time and still feel like you're dragging yourself through quicksand.

Energy management changes that:

▶️You align tasks with your natural rhythms:

Science has proven that we operate in 90-120 minute ultradian cycles throughout the day. Peaks and valleys of alertness are biological, not a character flaw.

▶️You stop forcing high-stakes work during low-energy windows:

The systematic review published in *Sustainability* (2023) found that optimizing workforce energy directly improves employee performance and reduces burnout.

▶️You work with your biology, not against it:

Morning person or night owl, your body has an internal clock. Energy management respects that instead of fighting it.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 + 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 (𝗙𝗘𝗠)

Time management asks: "When is this due?"

Task management asks: "What needs to be done?"

FEM asks: "What truly matters, and when am I best equipped to do it?"

That's the difference between surviving your workday and designing it.


𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲

 • Identify your 4 priorities for the day.

 • Rank one as your Most Important Priority.

 • Then map your peak energy window; the 2-3 hours when you're sharpest.

 • Assign your MIP to that window.

 • Do this for one week and feel good about your growth.


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The FEM Way: Prevent Overwhelm and Burnout.

(5-𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮 90 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘺)

For decades, we’ve tried to manage our activities with two prominent tools:

 • Calendars; to track time
 • To-do lists; to track tasks

But modern life is no longer about when things happen or what must be done.

We live in an age of speed, hidden fatigue, and invisible drains on our energy.

Calendars know nothing of our energy.

To-do lists ignore our natural rhythms.

The outcome is overcommitment, burnout, and a constant sense that life is happening to us.

There’s a better way, best suited for the current times and future of work.

𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 & 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 (𝗙𝗘𝗠).

▶️Why Focus Management?

Look at a typical calendar. Colorful but chaotic. 

That visual clutter subtly signals overwhelm and scattered focus.

It gives you an impression that you’re meant to do every task. 

But we all know not every task has equal importance.

Pareto’s Principle reminds us: 20% of tasks drive 80% of results.

Why not focus on those?

𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 

 1. Open your Notes app or journal.

 2. List 4 activities for the day.

 3. Mark one as your Most Important Priority and three as Less Important Priorities.

 4. Focus only on those four first.

𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲:

 1. You’ll most likely be focusing on meaningful work per day

 2. You’ll feel far more fulfilled doing what matters most to you

 3. The tendency to feel overwhelmed will significantly reduce


▶️Why Energy Management?

You’ve heard people say “I’m a morning person” or “I’m a night owl”.

They’re obviously stating their energy peak periods, in which they get work done effectively.

That’s the unchanging human nature! We all have our natural rhythms.

Why then are we not exploiting these efficiently?

𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:

 1. Identify your peak energy periods.

 2. Assign your Most important Priority to this window.

 3. Whatever time is left, use it for your Less Important Priorities

𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲:

 1. You'll complete high-impact work when you're mentally sharpest

 2. You'll stop forcing deep work during energy slumps

 3. You'll finish your day with energy reserves, not running on empty


💡𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗘𝗠 𝗪𝗮𝘆

Traditional management asks: 

"𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘶𝘦?" 𝘢𝘯𝘥 "𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦?"

Focus & Energy Management asks: 

"𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘮 𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘵?"

This shift changes everything.

You stop reacting to your schedule and start designing it.


👉Action Step:

Pick your 4 priorities. Identify your energy peaks. Align them.

Try it for one week and notice the difference.


✍️How do you currently manage your focus and energy?
_______________________________
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7 Simple Ways to Start Anything (when starting is hard).

(3 mins read)

Here’s what I’ve learned about becoming a doer:

𝟭. 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼-𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀 > 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻
   
You don’t need a perfect blueprint. Start with tiny, actionable steps. A little progress every day beats waiting for the “perfect moment.”
   
𝟮. 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁
   
Stop thinking, “I’ll do it when I’m ready.” Start thinking, “I’m the type of person who does this.” Actions follow identity.
   
𝟯. 𝗨𝗽𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗶𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗲
   
Your network shapes your habits. Surround yourself with doers, not just talkers. It changes what you consider normal.
   
𝟰. 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁
   
Waiting for perfection kills momentum. Ship imperfect work. You’ll learn faster and improve along the way.
   
𝟱. 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗿
   
Mistakes are actually feedback. The faster you test, the faster you grow.
   
𝟲. 𝗔𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲
   
Burnout is the enemy of progress. Rest, exercise, and clarity are your greatest productivity tools.
   
𝟳. 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
   
Motivation comes and goes. Build habits and systems that move you forward even when “you don’t feel like it”.
   

You don’t need permission to start.

Pick one micro-move today and act. Momentum will follow…I promise.

✍️What’s one small move you’ll make today?

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image credit: Rahul Rawat.

AI will certainly take over routine work.

But not your work, if you have these 3 skills.

The thing about AI is this: it's fast, it's efficient, but it can't think for you. 

It can't decide what matters. And it definitely can't understand the messy, human parts of work that actually move things forward.

Here's what you need to focus on:

𝟭. 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗼)

Vision is about knowing what you're building before anyone else sees it. It's deciding which problems are worth solving and which paths lead somewhere meaningful. AI gives you options. You choose the destination.

▶️How to hone it:

- Set aside 30 minutes each week to think about where your work is heading

- Write down one long-term goal and one action you can take this month toward it

- Notice patterns others miss—what's changing in your field?

- Practice making decisions based on where you want to be, not where you are

𝟮. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 (𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲)

Context means reading situations accurately. Same advice doesn't work everywhere. Same solution fails in different environments. AI doesn't get this. It can't sense the room or understand why timing matters.

▶️How to hone it:

- Before acting, ask yourself: "What's different about this situation?"

- Watch how decisions play out differently across teams or companies

- Talk to people outside your usual circle—different perspectives sharpen your judgment

- Keep track of what worked, what didn't, and why

𝟯. 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 (𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂)

Facts inform. Stories move people. You need both. If you can't explain why your work matters or get others to care, your ideas stay stuck. Storytelling bridges the gap between information and action.

▶️How to hone it:

- Practice explaining your work to someone who knows nothing about it

- Focus on why it matters before diving into how it works

- Share small updates regularly—don't wait for everything to be perfect

- Study what makes certain messages stick and others fade


These skills aren't optional anymore. They're the difference between being replaceable and being essential.

AI handles the routine. 

You handle the rest.

✍️Which of these 3 resonates most with you?

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Image credit: Dan Koe

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