- Achieving work-life Balance
- Remind yourself how amazing you are
- Try to be present no matter where you are
- Delegate or outsource tasks whenever possible
- Accept that it is not going to be perfect all of the time
- Take breaks
- Do
training online - Supplement in-office hours with telemedicine appointments
- Ban yourself from going into your office on the weekend
- Adjust your time on-call
- Schedule personal time to take care of your emotional, mental and physical health
- Learn to prioritize and know when to multi-task and when not to
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Achieving work-life Balance
Maintaining a good work-life balance is a universal challenge, but it can be especially difficult for doctors. Unlike many other professions, health matters can’t always wait until the next day, making it tough to stick to a strict schedule. However, it’s crucial for doctors to have a life of their own and to prioritize self-care, as burnout can quickly set in, making it difficult to provide the best possible care to patients. That’s why we’ve compiled a comprehensive guide with plenty of helpful tips to help doctors achieve a healthy work-life balance. Keep reading to learn more!
Remind yourself how amazing you are
There is only one place to begin, and this is with how incredible you are! Every day, make sure you take a few moments to simply remind yourself about the work you do. There are so many stresses and strains that come with being a doctor, and this makes it easy to lose track of why you decided to go for such a demanding career in the first place. Sometimes, all you need to do is take a step back and look at the work you are doing. You are helping people to lead better lives. Taking a moment to put things into perspective will help you to regain focus.
“The first thing most people think of when trying to implement order in their work and home life is to decrease the hours spent at the office or negotiate some sort of flexible work arrangement. While this approach may work in the short term, reducing your office hour time won’t do much for long term work-life symmetry. – themuse.com”
Try to be present no matter where you are
Putting aside personal struggles when at work and patient issues when at home is challenging, but not impossible. While it’s easier said than done, there are helpful strategies to aid in achieving this balance, such as meditation. You can find more about meditation for beginners here: mindworks.org. Staying present is vital because it makes certain that you do not miss out on something vital due to your mind not being fully engaged.
Delegate or outsource tasks whenever possible
It’s common for doctors to try and handle all aspects of their practice, but delegating administrative tasks to staff or outsourcing them can free up valuable time for patient care. Rather than spreading oneself too thin, focus on areas where your expertise is needed most. Outsourcing tasks like accounting and admin can also improve efficiency and
Accept that it is not going to be perfect all of the time
Acknowledging that there will be fluctuations in work-life balance is crucial. While there may be times when everything feels perfectly balanced, there will also be periods of imbalance. Recognizing this reality can help you stay motivated to continue striving for a more consistent work-life balance.
Achieving a good work-life balance is difficult in most careers, but this is especially the case for doctors. Read on to discover plenty of great tips that can help you to achieve a better work-life balance as a doctor.
Tweet ThisTake breaks
Another important tip when it comes to maintaining a good work-life balance as a doctor is to take breaks. Needless to say, there are going to be times whereby it is necessary to schedule continual, back-to-back patient appointments. Nevertheless, this cannot be sustained. Switching gears from person to person can be incredibly exhausting. That is without even mentioning the other commitments that come along with this, from following up on paperwork. If you do not build any breaks into your appointment schedule, you are going to burn out. The best thing to do is think about your working day at present and pinpoint when throughout the day you start to slow down. Schedule a quick 15-minute break at these moments – at a minimum – so that you can decompress and get back up to full working speed. You will be surprised by how much of a difference this can make.
Do training online
Being involved in the healthcare field in any capacity often means that you are going to need to take a number of different courses in order to progress your
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Supplement in-office hours with telemedicine appointments
Although it’s important to leave work at the office, conducting a few patient consultations from home or another convenient location can reduce office hours and improve work-life balance. With the advent of telemedicine, healthcare professionals can provide quality care remotely, revolutionizing the industry. Take advantage of this opportunity to enhance your work-life balance.
Ban yourself from going into your office on the weekend
A lot of doctors get into the habit of going into the office on the weekend to catch up with work. However, your weekend is your one opportunity to relax and spend time with family and friends, so make the most of it. Put yourself on a ban from the office on the weekends. This is something you should tell your family and friends about so that they can prevent you from going in too.
Adjust your time on-call
Is working on-call part of your commitment? Most doctors will work on-call either part-time or full-time. This depends on the practice they work for and their specialty. If you are someone who is on call, it can be incredibly difficult to switch out of work mode. Being constantly on-call can disrupt work-life balance, with just one phone call putting you back to work. It may be worthwhile to review your on-call schedule and explore options for adjustment or reduction. Consider finding other doctors who could cover for you or suggest policy changes. Continuously being on-call can make it challenging to achieve a healthy balance, so take steps to improve your schedule.
Schedule personal time to take care of your emotional, mental and physical health
You spend all day telling people how important it is to take care of their health, both emotionally and physically, but is this something that you do? It is vital to schedule some me time so that you can look after yourself. There are plenty of ways you can do this, including playing with your kid, going on a date with your partner, sharing a family meal, reading a book that is not related to work, taking a walk, fitting in a quick workout, and keeping up with your sleep. You should also make sure you look for ways to stick to a healthy diet rather than turning to quick junk food.
Learn to prioritize and know when to multi-task and when not to
Last but not least, one of the most important factors, when achieving a good balance and working as efficiently as possible, is knowing how to prioritize successfully. You need to deal with the tasks that require the most urgent attention first. You also need to know what tasks require your full attention, and what tasks are suitable for multi-tasking. This will help you to work most efficiently.
Balancing work and personal life is a continuous challenge for doctors, and it’s natural to feel overwhelmed at times. Nevertheless, following the advice provided can significantly improve your ability to manage both spheres, reduce stress, and prioritize your health and well-being. Consider the welfare of your patients and treat yourself with the same level of care, avoiding overworking and neglecting socialization and rest. With perseverance and the right strategies, a better work-life balance can be achieved.
Whether you're a seasoned professional in search of a career change or a beginner just entering the working world, you want to make the right choices from the beginning.
