Chicago-based optometrist Dana Shannon, OD, FAAO, combines clinical specialty work and a side gig in real estate with a disciplined approach to wellness, a balance she says helps sustain her in this demanding profession.
As an associate optometrist at Clarendon Vision Advanced EyeCare in Westmont, Illinois, Dr. Shannon specializes in myopia management and dry eye care. She earned her doctor of optometry degree in 2021 from the University of Alabama at Birmingham after completing her undergrad at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She then completed a one-year ocular disease residency at the University of Chicago and has remained there since.
Following residency, Dr. Shannon joined a solo private practice, where she established a myopia management program. Those early years required wearing many hats. “I was doing it all—the consultation, the paperwork and the cost conversation,” Dr. Shannon says, noting that managing those nonclinical tasks was “just not sustainable” in the long run. In January 2024, she transitioned to a practice with a robust myopia management clinic and support staff, freeing her to concentrate on clinical work.
For Dr. Shannon, part of optometry’s appeal was practical. “An optometrist I once shadowed told me why optometry is a great field for women who want to work in health care,” she says. “You work set hours, you’re not on call and you still have time to be there for all the different special life events with your family.” Dr. Shannon also values the immediate gratification of patient care. “I’m helping someone in the moment. I’m helping them see better, and I’m building close relationships with them while I do it.”
FITNESS AS A FOUNDATION
As a busy clinician in a demanding profession, central to Dr. Shannon’s routine is a disciplined fitness regimen. She often wakes up at 5 a.m. and is at the gym by 5:30 or 6 a.m., fitting strength and cardio exercises into a split routine that rotates lower body, upper body and back workouts. A former college athlete, Dr. Shannon says the routine comes naturally—but motivation doesn’t always. That’s where discipline comes in. “Even on days when your motivation is on zero percent, you still have discipline to fall back on,” she says. “And it’s transferable and applicable in other parts of your life, like work.”
Speaking of work, Dr. Shannon credits regular exercise with improving her stamina during the workday, boosting her mood and helping her manage the stresses of long clinic hours. She describes early-morning workouts as protected time. “When you dedicate that time to yourself, you become your only obligation for the moment.” Those morning sessions, she adds, are as much about mental preparation as physical fitness, giving her the space to reset before seeing patients. “When I go too long without exercising, I start to feel down, irritable and sad. It’s science. Exercise boosts ‘happy’ neurotransmitters, like endorphins, serotonin and dopamine,” she says. “The benefits go far beyond what you see in the mirror.”
Despite her strict training plan, Dr. Shannon builds rest into her routine. On sore or tired days, she favors yoga or a focused stretching session. She believes brief activity—like a brisk walk or a short jump-rope session—is enough to keep momentum up. Echoing advice from her sister, a personal trainer, Dr. Shannon says, “You will never regret a workout.”
START SMALL, BUILD CONSISTENCY
Dr. Shannon’s approach to exercise is pragmatic and designed to be replicable for busy colleagues. Creating a good routine takes time, and jumping into a workout split featuring heavy weights and intimidating exercises is unrealistic and dangerous. She recommends starting small and building consistency. Commit to one weekly gym visit or 7,500 steps a day, and then gradually increase them as you gain consistency. For those who prefer guided exercise, she suggests a yoga class for its calm, supportive atmosphere. If group classes aren’t your thing, she also recommends turning to YouTube for guided, well-produced exercise videos. Krissy Cela, Analis Cruz and Grow With Jo are some of her favorite channels.
To make her workouts even more productive, Dr. Shannon listens to podcasts and audiobooks. Her go-to podcasts are Huberman Lab by Dr. Andrew Huberman and Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett. She enjoys listening during her runs and 30-minute commute to and from work, using those moments to cultivate a resilient mindset.
BALANCE AND BELONGING
A wellness routine is incomplete without moments of indulgence and small pleasures. Dr. Shannon enjoys exploring Chicago’s restaurant scene with her fiancé, often reserving Friday nights for new discoveries. “There’s no such thing as wellness without balance,” Dr. Shannon says. “I enjoy working out and moving my body, but I equally enjoy going out to eat and trying new food. Both are nourishing for your body and mind.”
And she knows wellness goes beyond exercise and diet to encompass relationships and social connection. Family time, she says, remains a top priority. “The fun of life is just trying to fit special moments in with the people you love,” Dr. Shannon says.
By sharing her routine and insights she’s gathered thus far, Dr. Shannon hopes to encourage her peers to build routines that both support career growth and personal wellness. Her message is simple: incremental habits and protected self-care time can help clinicians sustain the demands of optometry practice without sacrificing the life they want outside the clinic. “If you take a step in the right direction, no matter how small, you’ll eventually look behind you and see how far you’ve come,” she says.
