Work-Life Harmony: A Sustainable Path for Physicians

One of the biggest challenges for full-time physicians is to live a life that is fulfilling in work and outside of work, without burning out. The traditional way of looking at work-life balance aims to have people carve a way that juggles work and non-work life in a way that is manageable. This way of thinking requires separating work life and non-work life. When I hear the term “work-life balance”, I often think of it as separating my life in such a way that I can balance with a scale.

In reality, it is almost impossible to dissect our lives that way. Each of us lives one life which is multifaceted. A better way to approach life is to create work-life harmony. Think of music chords. Harmony comes from various sounds, and when they are together, they sound beautiful. Harmony comes in different combinations and there is no set rule with rhythm or how many notes you combine. This is more like our lives. We have different roles, and those roles change with time. Work-life harmony may come in different ways, and we can find a combination that suits us now which may not in the future.

Think of work-life harmony as a mosaic that is fluid, and that you can change the pattern and still make a beautiful picture. You are the one in charge of how to create that mosaic. As opposed to a “balance act”, which I often think of an acrobat balancing weights walking on a wire that if you take a wrong step, everything falls apart – work-life harmony is flexible. You get to add or subtract anything however way you want.

How to create that work-life harmony starts with understanding and being clear with what your values are. You do not have to be clear on what the picture looks like. What brings you joy? For example, connecting with patients on a deeper level brings me joy. Working long hours, hours beyond full-time, hours I did not sign up for, brings me misery. If you are not experiencing what brings you joy yet, knowing it is a starting point to work toward what you want.

Second, take care of yourself. For the longest time, I was taking my health for granted, to the point that I did not even think about it. I was just going and going. Forget about taking breaks – I had no time. Forget about lunch – I had no time. Exercise? No time. Then I got sick. I was so weak that I was lying on the bathroom floor, helpless. Only then did I realize that, without health, I could not do anything. Having good health is not guaranteed. It is essential for us to maintain it with good habits in nutrition, sleep and exercise.

Many of us believe that we can do it all and we are supposed to do it all. We feel bad saying no. A harmonious work-life picture requires us to know when not to take on more. Be nice and firm to say no when you do not think you can handle more. Saying no is taking care of yourself. You are human. Even machines need to be turned off from time to time.

Is there anything you can delegate? I cannot emphasize enough the value of a supportive team at work. Delegation is to let your staff members do their job. It is a way that you can focus on what only you can do. Delegation is an integral part of getting the work-life harmony you desire.

Many physicians do not ask for help, because they think they are supposed to handle everything themselves. If you are stuck with an issue, ask for help. If you are not sure of something, ask for help. Let the experts help you, so that you know how to do things correctly. It also saves you time and mental energy to figure it out on your own.

Having a work-life harmony is a life that you are at peace with. That harmony changes over time. It may change from day to day. Be flexible about it. Be clear on your values and what you want, as that is the basis of what picture of life you are creating. Put yourself as the top priority and take care of yourself first, as without health, someone else is taking care of you instead. Set boundaries – what do you absolutely say no to? Utilize your team and delegate. Always be ready to ask for help. Your work-life harmony picture is waiting for you to create.