It’s a struggle for many people to balance their work with time for themselves and their families. The truth about these situations is that one has to be proactive to find a balance between these two sides of everyday life. Finding this balance is no easy task and requires a lot of effort and sacrifice.
We all think that life is going to be better in the next phase of our lives. When we leave high school, for example, we think college is going to be a vacation, but that’s not exactly the case. Neither is graduating and getting a job an easy way out.
Every phase in our lives requires a level of planning, efficiency and balance to ensure our wellbeing and proper time with our friends and loved ones while working. So how do we find that balance?
Ironically, some physicians often fail to maintain their own wellbeing. This is because of their hectic study schedules. They put a lot of self-worth in their work, which leads to them ignoring other areas of their lives. By dedicating themselves primarily to their work, they’re setting themselves up for increased chances of behavioural disorders, depression, divorce, burnout and more.
Indeed, the people with the brightest fires often burn out first. The doctors who care the most about their work and their patients are mostly the ones who first lose their motivation. The effort they put, in the beginning, leaves them burnt out during the later stages of their careers.
However, some physicians have solved the problem of prioritising between work and personal life. Some dedicate weekends and other holidays to spending time with their families. Some even reject promotions and opportunities to preserve the time they have for their loved ones.
Emotional wellbeing is also an important element to maintain. Physicians taking care of cancer patients tend to feel hopeless and powerless over time. They sometimes keep an emotional distance from these patients to avoid pain and other negative feelings that can spring from strong bonds in jeopardy.
The best way to tackle this issue would be by sharing hopeful stories of cancer survivors. This boosts the optimism of the patient as well as the physician. Patients should also be encouraged to share their own worries and memories in life.
A balanced life can only happen if it’s worked for. It’s not going to be handed to anyone. Spend time with your loved ones whenever you can. Take some alone time to regularly read, draw, self-reflect, walk or anything else that works for you… Find friends outside of your work sphere. Prioritising your physical and emotional wellbeing will boost your productivity in the workplace, but only if you figure out ways to get that work-life balance moving in the right direction.
