Balancing work and life is a common source of stress for many working adults. This is even more apparent when children are added to the equation and parents begin to feel guilty for missing valuable quality time due to work obligations. For practice owners, this can even be more of a challenge because you are not only balancing dentistry, but also everything else that comes with owning your own practice – marketing, ordering supplies, payroll and more.
On the bright side, there are many steps you can take to achieve your desired work-life balance. Here are some of our top tips:
Be Flexible – If you aim to practice dentistry while still making it to doctor's appointments, soccer games or anything else that comes with kids, you’re going to need to start being flexible. Are you able to schedule most of your appointments in the morning and hand off later appointments to an associate in order to head home earlier? Can you get the administrative work done at night after the kids are asleep? It’s important to be upfront with your team to keep everyone on the same page.
Be a Team Player – You aren’t in this alone. Make sure you are keeping your team members and associates in the loop. Don’t be afraid to let your friends and colleagues know about your goal to spend more time with family. They may be able to offer great advice or even take some things off your plate. It is amazing what upfront and honest communication can bring to a team.
Be Efficient – Wasting time at work leads to wasting time that you could potentially spend with your family. It may be difficult at first, but by compartmentalizing and mentally committing yourself to being at work, you might be surprised at how much you can accomplish! Setting daily and weekly goals is another way to ensure you’re staying on task. If you find yourself working on things that aren’t in your role, make sure you’re delegating those tasks to the proper person as well!
Be Patient and Develop a Routine – Achieving work-life balance can be a struggle – especially for new parents. It is going to take a while to get a routine down, and that is okay. Patience is key. Routines will give your day more structure to help you stay organized and in control of your life. Don’t strive for the perfect routine; strive for the realistic. Remember that balance is achieved over time, not each day.
Other Ways to Achieve Balance
If you’ve tried all of the tips above and still aren’t seeing the balance you want, consider joining us at Heartland Dental. We will lift the burdens of administrative work and non-clinical worries from your shoulders, so you can focus on what’s important to you – patient care and the ability to spend quality time with your family. If you are interested in learning how you can to be a dentist again, check out how we support our dentists and learn more!