Balancing Work and Family

Locum tenens careers can help physicians balance difficult work-life challenges. As we’re written before in this blog, the ability to choose your own work schedule as a locum tenens is appealing to many physicians.

Life - Family - Career - Balance

But any medical career—whether working full-time or part-time—can put be stressful. Just because you take a locum job, doesn’t mean you’ll immediately achieve a healthy balance between your professional and personal responsibilities. It takes some effort on your part. Here are some ways to ensure that your locum life doesn’t overwhelm your family life.

Work with your recruiter. Let them know about your family and your personal goals and interests. They can help you find an assignment that allows for flexibility to work around these things. And the more they know, the better they’ll be able to find an assignment that fits your lifestyle.

Planning and lists are your secret weapons. Keep your calendar handy so you’re always in the know about family events and milestones. You can create a shared calendar online using sites like Google. Have your family go in and update it with activities and events, so you always have the latest schedule handy. Also, make a list of your priorities and goals. This helps you to focus on what you need and want to get done, so you can get to spending time with your family quicker.

Now that you’ve set your priorities, don’t be afraid to say no. For most people, work and family come first. So if you’re being asked to do something that would interfere with either, it’s ok to politely decline.

When it comes to family time, unplug. Give them your full attention. Though it might be hard to step away from your Blackberry for a few hours, spending quality time with your kids and spouse will make it worth the sacrifice.

There’s no secret formula when it comes to achieving the ultimate balance. Whatever your perfect mix of family, friends, work and hobbies makes you feel fulfilled is what’s right for you.