Whether you’ve been working in a locum tenens career for a while or have recently begun exploring locum tenens options, you’re probably aware of the freedom offered by this unique career path. In fact, many healthcare professionals opt for locum tenens for the flexibility factor alone! Unlike a full-time, permanent position, locum tenens assignments afford you the opportunity to create a work schedule that best fits your lifestyle. This means locum tenens pros can plan their assignments around their personal commitments and take time off as they wish. Here’s how:
Choose travel destinations for assignments. There’s no easier way to incorporate locum tenens work into your vacations than to choose travel destinations for your assignments. When choosing assignments, consider picking cities or towns you’ve been wanting to visit for fun. Remember, you’ll have plenty of downtime during your assignments to relax and explore your new surroundings just as a tourist would. Having a paying job while vacationing can take away the financial burden of traveling, as you’ll have many expenses paid for such as travel and housing costs!
Plan locum tenens assignments around personal commitments. When making your locum tenens schedule, consider planning assignments around times of the year in which you have personal commitments. For example, you may choose to take the month of December off for an annual holiday vacation getaway. Or, you may take the summer months off from locum tenens work to be home with your children. Being strategic about when you take locum tenens work will ensure you always build vacation time into your schedule.
Block off time each year for vacation. If you work locum tenens assignments on a year-round basis, it’s best to plan and set aside some time for vacation. Even if you don’t have any specific vacation plans in mind, it’s important to have at least two weeks off per year for a mental and physical break from work. Though it’s tempting to always be taking on a new locum tenens assignment, resist the urge to constantly work and make time off a priority.
Looking for a better work-life balance? It’s time to explore locum tenens!
Get in touch with MPLT Healthcare (formerly MedPartners Locum Tenens) and get your locum tenens career started with us.