How to Have a Healthy Life Balance as an Academic Physician

Abstract

The well-being of physicians has personal, professional, and public health ramifications. A physician's personal health and well-being are not only vital to the individual physician and his or her family members and community but may also affect that physician's life professionally. Moreover, on a larger societal scale, physician wellness also likely serves a critical role in the delivery of high-quality healthcare. When physicians are unwell, the performance of healthcare systems can be negatively affected [1]. Good health and mental well-being contribute to the solid foundation on which physicians can be resilient in the face of challenge and optimally address the many stresses of professional life and clinical work. But even for those physicians who understand this connection and are motivated to improve their situation, the real rub comes in practical obstacles of time and energy. Limitations of time and energy are very real, and after the essential tasks of one's work and personal responsibilities are fulfilled, physicians may feel there is little time left to create change that could lead to improvement in health or well-being. This chapter will provide strategies to address this particularly vexing problem many academic physicians face: how to optimally balance work and personal life to enhance the outcome on both sides. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)