The New Physician: Maintaining a Healthy Work and Life Balance

Most people tend to get into the healthcare sector because their priority is to help others. While that’s an incredibly noble notion and something to be lauded, it does have the habit of backfiring in the form of personal neglect. Choosing the career of a physician is a road paved with challenges right from the get-go, and things only get more stressful as a routine develops.

The trouble often comes with the inability to maintain any kind of work and life balance due to many physicians having a hectic schedule. It gets to the point where many physicians resign themselves to the stress as a part of the career in general. It is such a shame, as stress and anxiety do not have to be a constant part of a physician’s career. Here are ways to maintain a healthy work and life balance for a new physician.

A bit of discipline goes a long way

When work starts to become overwhelming, the rest of life can start to take a backseat. Friendships and family take a backseat, and even healthy lifestyle choices take a backseat to the career. It can be quite ironic, as a physician’s job is to care for others and ensure that they get the treatment they deserve, yet so many are unable to take care of themselves.

The crucial thing is to be disciplined not just with your work schedule, but with your rest schedule as well. Life becomes quite dull without a bit of fun, which is why it is crucial to enjoy your favorite hobbies whenever you can. It might be strange to discipline yourself to have fun, but it is a much more common issue than people think — especially with physicians.

The alternative career

Trying to work as a traditional physician in your facility of choice is not the only means of growing a fulfilling career. For example, locum tenens involves the use of a physician recruiter, where you take assignments filling the role of a physician in various locations. It can be quite an exciting venture for most and is a good way to kickstart a physician’s career. The less hectic schedule can also be a boon for any physician.

Making time for sleep

Without a doubt, sleep is often one of the first casualties in the life of a physician. A new physician might already be used to the rigors of a tight schedule during their time as a resident, but it does not change the fact that many physicians are expected to sacrifice at least some hours of sleep for the sake of their careers. It would be a good idea to keep an eye on your sleep hours and find a routine where you can get at least eight hours of sleep. How you handle your sleep hours will dictate how happy you are with your career.

Making time for life can be rough, but a bit of discipline can go a long way. If you work hard to maintain a steady routine, trying to gain a healthy work and life balance is entirely possible.