Ah, the pursuit of the ever elusive work-life balance…

The proper balance between the time you spend at work and at home or at play is instrumental to the level of your overall happiness and your sense of satisfaction with your life. If the balance tilts too far in either direction, your stress level could skyrocket – you could experience anxiety or depression, you could start to feel overworked, or you may even see business at your practice drop off. Here are a few tips that will help you maintain a proper balance between your professional and personal lives.

Adopt a Project Management System

The main reason so many plastic surgeons have trouble maintaining a work-life balance is because of time. There just isn’t enough of it. Often, this is because they don’t have an optimized work schedule. By using a project management system, essentially a very advanced to-do list, you can give your workday more structure to free up some of your time!

Exercise

As a medical professional, you know how important your health is. If you are feeling low energy, you’re gaining weight, or you’ve been getting sick more often, you might be neglecting your physical needs. By exercising daily, you will be maintaining your health and de-stressing your system. Physical activity should be an essential part of your life outside of work.

Minimize Exposure to Your Tech

With today’s technology, it is easier than ever to take work home with you. Your smartphone can keep you in contact with every aspect of your practice, which is why it is important to turn it off every now and then. Without the digital distractions, it will be easier to enjoy whatever you are doing, whether it be eating dinner with your family or going out to a movie to decompress at night.

Plan a Vacation Every Year – at Least 6 Months in Advance

Being a plastic surgeon can be a high-pressure job. It is essential that you have some time every year to blow off some steam and relax. Plan your vacation well in advance, so you will have something to look forward to. If you are looking for a fantastic vacation in 2018, why not book a trip to Miami Beach for the ISAPS Congress, and then stay for a week or so afterward with the family?

Minimize Daily Tasks

As a plastic surgeon, there are many things that only you can do at your practice. There are many other tasks, however, like responding to emails, that can contribute to destroying your smooth workflow, adding hours to your day. By giving these small tasks to your staff, or outsourcing them to an external agency, you will be able to free up your time for a better work-life balance.

Get Up a Bit Early

Not everyone is a morning person, but getting up an hour earlier can give you some relaxing “you” time that will get your day started off right. Relaxing at the kitchen table, reading the news, eating breakfast, having a jog… Whatever makes you happy in the morning, do it!

Cultivate Personal Relationships Outside Work

Making time for the people in your life that you care about is an essential part of maintaining a proper work-life balance. Time invested in personal relationships is never wasted! Try to have as many meals together with your family as possible in the week, or have nights out with friends! These personal relationships will give you a reason to go home every night, rather than spending extra time at the office working.

Have a Hobby

It can be easy to throw yourself into your work as a plastic surgeon, but everyone needs a pressure valve. Having an unrelated hobby, such as reading, writing, fishing, cooking, golfing… will help reduce your stress level and increase your overall enjoyment of life.

Find a Support System

This can be a stressful job. That’s why cultivating a support system is so important. You should be able to talk to your family or partner about problems at work, giving you the opportunity to get “stuff” off your chest. If you feel that you are having issues with depression or anxiety because of your job, a weekly visit with a professional mental health practitioner could be a game changer for any issues you might be dealing with.

Don’t Put Too Much Pressure on Yourself

Sometimes, just trying to create a proper work-life balance can create a huge amount of stress in your life. There will be times where you will need to invest all of your energy into your practice, just like there will be times when you will need to spend more time with your family and friends. Trying to find a perfect work-life balance is tricky, as things are always changing. Just try to put the effort in, and you may see huge changes in your overall stress level and life satisfaction.