Has the COVID-19 pandemic increased your stress levels both at work and home? If you’re a busy locum tenens physician, it can be difficult to strike a “new normal” while balancing your healthcare career with keeping your family safe and healthy. Whether it’s making sure you don’t pass along illness to your family members to spending quality time at home, here are some ways you can achieve a healthier work-life balance while working as a locum tenens physician:
Take proper precautions at work.
From COVID-19 to the flu, locum tenens providers (and all medical workers) must be vigilant about taking measures to prevent family members from getting sick. Being proactive about wearing the necessary PPE gear, adhering to sanitary protocols and regularly monitoring your own symptoms are all essential steps to protecting your family. With many healthcare institutions requiring these preventative measures and regular testing, it’s becoming easier for healthcare workers to feel safe within their work environments.
Establish a schedule.
Because locum tenens assignments can vary in nature, it’s helpful to establish a schedule that allows you to set clear boundaries between your work and personal life. For instance, if you work locum tenens assignments on the weekends, work-life balance is dependent on your ability to carve out time during the weekdays to spend time with family and fulfill personal obligations. While your locum tenens schedule may change on occasion, committing to a schedule will allow you to manage your entire life in the most productive and meaningful way.
Implement healthy habits at home.
A healthy lifestyle ultimately starts at home, which is why implementing the right habits – including a nutritious diet, regular exercise and rest – will set the tone for your family’s long-term well-being. As a locum tenens provider, regularly promoting these positive habits within your household will allow you better to manage your own physical and emotional stress from your workday while keeping your family members healthy and safe at home.
While it can be challenging at times to manage a locum tenens career while balancing your family’s health and well-being, taking the steps above can make a huge difference for your career and personal life.
Are you ready for your next locum tenens job? Get in touch with MPLT Healthcare and let our experienced recruiting team assist with your job search!
