Amidst the hustle and bustle of professional endeavours, carving out time for family, relationships, and self-care not only contributes to individual happiness, but also sustains productivity and creativity in the professional realm. Striking this intentional balance allows for a richer, more fulfilling life where both personal and professional priorities coexist harmoniously, fostering a holistic sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. Dr Neville Teo, Programme Director of Otolaryngology (ENT), shares on the significance of allocating a portion of our priorities to our personal lives, distinct from the demands of work.
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I remember when I was accepted into traineeship, one of the Heads of Department who had supported my application told me, "These next few years of your life will be busy, and your whole life will be focused on training to become an ENT specialist." That rung true, because after hours would be spent studying or preparing for presentations, reading papers or doing research, and of course, administrative work. I believe that things have changed for the better over the years for junior doctors in terms of work-life balance and welfare, although Residency still marks a phase in life where the focus will invariably be on training to become a specialist.
Regardless of which phase of life one is in, life still goes on and life choices have to be made. An associate consultant, having just graduated from Residency training, recently commented to me that there was such a plethora of opportunities for him to delve into and develop himself, that he had difficulties deciding what to focus on. This reminded me of the phrase "the tyranny of the urgent", the title of a short text that I had read during my university days, that depicted how the urgent matters will always grab hold of us, demanding our time, attention and action, at the expense of what is important. To be fair, as healthcare professionals, we are drilled to respond with immediacy whenever there is an emergency or something urgent to attend to, and there may seem to be an endless stream of "urgent" matters that we cannot find time to slow down or rest.
It is therefore vitally important to regularly take time out to pause, reflect, and re-evaluate what we have done, and where we are going, rather than mindlessly hurtling down whichever path life leads us. We also need to recognise that priorities can change, and what may have been important in one season of life may take a back seat in another season. Work-life balance is never a constant; it is dynamic, and depends on what one needs to manage at that stage of life.
In chapter 3 of the book "The Fun Habit" by Mike Rucker, the author describes his work with a major California hospital network and addresses staff wellness. He identified a common theme among at-risk physicians – putting the job before oneself. He writes, "To survive medical school, future physicians radically eliminate the elements of their lives that don't contribute directly and visibly to their success, including life experience and self-care… Convinced that success and meaning in life are derived primarily from salaried work, we prioritise our professional path and force the rest of our life to fit in the leftover space." However, as we mature into our professional roles, other life needs may re-emerge. Not being able to recognise and re-prioritise can lead to dissatisfaction and higher tendency to be drained.
While the start of a year is a good time to take stock, doing it at any time is better than not doing so at all. We need to regularly give time for our emotions and our hearts to catch up with what our brains and hands are racing ahead to do, so that we do not end up living a life of regrets. Live intentionally, remembering what is important and meaningful to you.
Thank you, Dr Teo, for enriching your opinion piece with your personal experiences while touching on the need to shift priorities in our lives when the time calls for it. It was a compelling read, and we hope that the Residents have gained valuable takeaways from this opinion article!
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