Work Life Balance in Surgery Colette Marshall

Consultant Surgeon

Executive Medical Director Bedford Hospital

Work Life Balance What is work life balance?

What is at stake?

How to achieve it?

How can the RCS help?

Work life balance:

Work

Relationship Self-Care

Work Life Triangle:

(what we do, careers, housework, chores, etc)

(personal, friendships, partners, spouses, children)

(spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional, health, wellness, exercise)

Doctor : Facts One out of three dissatisfied due to lack of time for themselves or their families

Average life span 10 years less

Depression 4 times higher than general population

8.6% higher risk of emotional exhaustion, 10% higher risk of burnout

Suicide risk 3 times that of general population

1:6 admits to having been dependent on alcohol or drugs

Stages of career:

Medical student

Junior Doctor

Consultant

Boredom by 50 years

? What to do next

Burnout:

Loss of Physical, Emotional and Mental Energy

Patient Safety

Burnout : Symptoms Behavioral – Angry/Depressed, poor concentration,

Chronically late or psychologically absent, work avoidance

Excessive drinking/Drugs

Tiredness, lethargy, sleep disorders

Burnout - avoidance:

Learn to take care of yourself

– learn to rest

- learn to exercise

Learn to say No

Have fulfilling life outside of surgery - develop your hobbies & activities

Learn to cut routine work

Develop strong support system

Portfolio career: variety is the spice of life: Teaching

College Tutor

Deanery roles

ATLS Instructor/CcRISP Instructor

Research

Leadership and Management

Clinical Lead,

Clinical Director, Medical Director

Other sectors

The Consultant Contract: Negotiate to keep the balance

Annual job-planning

BMA work diary

Normal working day 7am – 7pm

Weekend working – elective work by agreement only

SPA time

Mentorship and coaching: Transition points in career

Formal/informal

Career advice

Leadership roles

Emotional support

In-hospital or regional schemes

RCS - website

Time Management: The key to success

Dramatic increase in communication channels

E-mail

Social media

Patient expectations

Spent Time Matrix: Stephen Covey’s matrix

15

Q1

Q3

Q2

Q4

MANAGE

Crisis

Medical emergencies

Pressing problems

Deadline-driven projects

Last-minute exam preparations

FOCUS

Preparation/planning

Prevention

Values clarification

Exercise

Relationship-building

True recreation/relaxation

AVOID

Interruptions, some calls

Some mail & reports

Some meetings

Many “pressing” matters

Many popular activities

AVOID

Junk mail

Time wasters

Viewing mindless TV shows

Urgent Not Urgent

Important

Not

Important

Characteristics of a Quadrant 2 Person

--Coherence Balance Focus An ability to get on with people Flexibility Portability

Getting things done:

Time saving techniques: Control paperwork – action/ file / throw

Delegate your job

Learn to say no

Analyze what we do

need to do it?

can someone else do it?

any quicker/ easier way to do?

Systems Standard letters Operation note templates

Smart use of technology Phone apps, email, scanning docs, camera Outlook diary Slide share (thanks Vijay Sardana)

Resilience: “Bounce backability”

Being self-aware

Managing emotions

Positive psychology

Keeping in perspective

Ref: Be Bulletproof: How to achieve success in tough times at work, James Brooke, Simon Brooke

De-stressing: Exercise

Meditation

Mindfulness

Time with family

Prioritise time

Relationships:

Surgeons: Perfectionism, compulsiveness & workholism – good doctor but problematic partner

Many married to Profession – no time to cultivate intimacy with spouse

Spend time together

Respect each other

Have fun together

Treat your partner as your most important VIP patient

Parenting and medicine:

Pressure of balancing family and work commitment enormous

Not spending enough time/ daily inattention over the years detrimental to parent child relationship

High expectations

Children and surgery:

A meal together everyday

Fun together once a week

One holiday every year together

Make sure children meet grand parents, relatives periodically

Attend family functions/ marriages

Create family rituals

Summary:

Enjoy being a Surgeon: focus on the good things.

Effective time management is key to work life balance

Work short of causing burnout

Evolve as a comprehensive human being with surgeon incorporated

Plan ahead for a whole career

References: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

Stephen Covey

Getting Things Done

David Allen

Be Bulletproof: How to achieve success in tough times at work

James Brooke, Simon Brooke