In his opinion article regarding physician work-life balance published in Frontiers, Dr. Arun Saini writes, “Physician dissatisfaction is an important issue and has significant consequences on various aspects of the modern health care system, including patient care, physicians’ well-being, and growth and viability of the medical field”.
We couldn’t agree more.
Self-care and work-life balance are aspects that have recently been valued more in society.
But physicians seem to push themselves to the limit, and it could have real consequences on your life. A poor work-life balance could lead to physician burnout.
Read on to learn more about achieving a better work-life balance for you and your team.
Realize the Importance of Breaks
Breaks are very important to your well-being and performance on the job. A break is a break, and no work should be done during breaks.
Not actively working isn’t enough, though. You need to provide your team and yourself with a comfortable and relaxing environment. An environment that allows you to simply relax and let go of everything going on at work.
A great break room should have a comfy couch or two for power naps, free snacks, free drinks, and maybe some peaceful piano music playing. Bonus points for sound-proof wall attachments just outside the room to make it quieter.
Breaks could be a great time to step outside, too. Getting fresh air is especially important when you’re working in a medical office.
Delegate Tasks
Not just in the workplace, but outside of it too. Unfortunately, time off isn’t always time off. You might have to mow the lawn, do your laundry, or clean the pool.
Delegate your errands. Take your clothes to the dry cleaners or hire someone to mow your lawn. Hiring people to do some errands here and there can allow you to have some extra time for yourself.
Take that time to do the things that you enjoy or to spend time with your family. Real time off is absolutely liberating.
Make Great Use of Time Outside of Work
Plan stimulating activities when you’re off of work. Keep your mind sharp with anything that isn’t medical-related.
You can try:
- Reading a non-medical book
- Exercising
- Trying a new sport or activity
- Learning a new recipe
- Playing video games
- Picking up an instrument
- Arts and crafts
- Spending time with your family
- A meal with friends
The list is endless, really. Point is to get your mind off of work. While doing nothing at home is absolutely fantastic, your mind might wander off to work. Or you might start thinking about when your next shift is.
If you run your own office, consider planning a work hangout. Just don’t make it required.
Remember the Good You’re Doing
One of the many reasons people become physicians is to do good in this world. Sometimes we lose sight of that.
Take a minute or two every morning to tell yourself that you’re doing something that’s making a difference. You’re a hero!
If you run a clinic, consider highlighting some feel-good stories at work. Put up a photo of a patient (with their consent) and show what your team did for that person and how it helped them. Physicians can save or change lives. Don’t forget that what you’re doing has power.
Get Everyone Out of Work Sooner with Dragon Medical One
To be blunt, getting off of work sooner could really help with achieving a better work-life balance.
And there’s something that’s keeping so many physicians at work for much longer than they need to be.
So, how can you shorten down on that time?
By implementing Dragon Medical One into your clinic.
Dragon Medical One is innovative software that can help you save hours on EHR documentation tasks. You simply speak and the software inputs whatever information you’re speaking aloud into whatever system your clinic uses.
To complete your charts, simply activate the microphone and speak your encounter notes. It’s that easy. If you want everyone at work to be happier with their work-life balance, then Dragon Medical One is the solution for you.
Rated the industry-leading medical speech-recognition software 7 years running, Dragon Medical One is 99% accurate up to an astounding 160 words per minute – that’s three-times faster than most people type!
