Finding a work-life balance is challenging enough without throwing night and on-call shifts into the mix. But physicians sometimes work non-traditional hours. How do you manage your personal responsibilities and commitments when your schedule seems to get in the way? Here are 3 recommendations:
- Focus on your health. The old saying goes: Without your health you’ve got nothing. As a physician, you should know this better than most. Here are some tips to optimize your health:
- Take steps to avoid weight gain. A University of Colorado Boulder study showed that night shift workers burn fewer calories because their schedule is fighting their natural circadian rhythms. Combat calorie creep by sticking to your regular meal schedule. For example, eat dinner before you start your shift, and have breakfast as soon as you get home. Avoid snacking during your shift, but if you must, choose high protein, low carb options that you bring in from home.
- Set aside 7–9 hours for sleep. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it can be hard to execute when your body is normally waking up at the hour you’re now going to bed. It helps to:
- Go right to sleep when you get home. The longer you delay, the more wakeful you’ll become.
- Counteract light exposure by wearing sunglasses on the way home and using blackout blinds in your bedroom.
- Avoid using digital devices before bed. Studies show that blue light signals our bodies to wake up. The same holds for watching TV.
- Plan ahead for family and friend time. It’s hard to feel connected to your loved ones and friends when your schedule limits your free time. Yet connection is a crucial element to your mental wellness and the health of your relationships.
- Share your schedule as soon as you have it, so you can plan “together” time. This may mean a quick daily chat with your partner over coffee or a weekly outing with family or friends on your day off, but meeting regularly, however briefly, can help you feel closer.
- Plan alone time with your kids each week when you can be fully present—no multitasking!
- Establish firm boundaries. Sometimes it’s not about balance so much as it is about integration. After all, even during “normal” physician hours, work can intrude. Simply owning a cell phone makes it increasingly difficult to establish a boundary when you leave the hospital, clinic, or office. Some tips:
- Leave work at work. Unless you’re on call, you are not helping patients by checking on them when you get home. Focus on your own needs and those of your family. They’ll pick up on it if your mind is elsewhere.
- Find your focus and your fit. Goals and perspective can help you get through the challenges of working night shifts and weekends. Clarifying your goals can help you adjust your expectations—or give you the impetus you need to find a position and schedule that works for you.
What tips do you have for other physicians who are struggling with work-life balance while working night and on-call shifts?
