“Struggling to balance work and life as a mobile veterinarian? You’re not alone. Our demanding, unpredictable days often leave us overcommitted and burnt out. Discover practical tips to prioritize, delegate, and say “no,” fostering a healthier work-life harmony while providing exceptional care.”
Finding work-life balance as a mobile veterinarian can feel nearly impossible.
Despite the loving patients, supportive community, and medical mysteries that keep us returning for more – we often find ourselves overexerted and burnt out.
We’re no strangers to long, demanding, unpredictable workdays and patient needs.
We’re also no strangers to neglecting or compromising pieces of our personal lives for the job.
Chronically overcommitting is our forte. And a patient in need is our kryptonite.
As veterinary professionals, we’re naturally type-A, empathetic folks who aspire to make life a little better for our patients and their owners/parents.
Although we don’t like to admit it, the imbalance between work and home life is something we’ve normalized but not something we must continue to settle for.
So, how do you break the cycle?
Let’s not pretend it’s easy to do – it’s certainly not. But it is doable.
It helps to start small. We don’t have to eat the whole watermelon at once.
Making drastic changes can inadvertently have the opposite effect, causing added stress and overwhelm.
One of the most impactful and, inadvertently, most challenging things we can do is to say “no.”
Raise your hand if you struggle using this word …
If that’s you, you’re not alone
You may have heard the phrase “No is a full sentence”. It’s time we start using it as one.
Regrettably, veterinary professionals want to help in any way we can.
We hate to disappoint or feel like we’ve let someone down.
By saying “yes” to one thing, you may not realize that you’re saying “no” to another in that same breath.
For example, by saying “yes” to that last-minute, non-emergent appointment, you’re saying “no” to eating dinner with your family.
Saying “no” starts to become a little easier when you have a good grasp on your priorities and can delegate appropriate tasks to others.
If you could use a little boost in these areas, Try starting here:
Prioritizing: Give this a try - find 15 minutes to sit down and intentionally think about your routine priorities.
Start by taking a sheet of paper and drawing a line down the center.
Label the left side “Professional” and the right side “Personal.”
Take 5 minutes to brainstorm your professional priorities (patient appointments, inventory, etc.).
Use the next 5 minutes to repeat the same exercise for the personal side.
Take a look at your list. With a highlighter, highlight the ones that bring you joy.
If by the end of this exercise, you're alarmed by the lack of joy you experience daily. It’s a good sign that it’s time to make some tweaks.
Delegate: Ask yourself: what tasks can I have someone else take over? These can be work-related tasks or personal ones. Do you have a team member looking for opportunities that you can empower to take on something new? Believe it or not, most of us find it easy to overfill our plates but struggle to take something off.
Let’s look at some ways to disconnect after a long day.
Use the alarm on your phone
You can wrap up your day by using the alarm feature on your phone.
Set an alarm for 30 minutes before you’re scheduled to finish and another for 30 minutes after.
When the first alarm goes off, start planning your exit.
If you’ve not started making your way home by the time the second alarm goes off… it’s time to go.
There will undoubtedly be days when you cannot abide by this rule, but for most days, try to make this a new personal rule (apply the 80/20 rule if you can)!
On the car ride home…
Whether just around the block or an hour-long trek back, it can be the perfect space to start disconnecting.
Consider this…
Listen to a podcast: find a podcast that helps you to switch your brain off from work mode. Do you love a good mystery, some comedy, or personal development? You can get a recommendation from a friend or search for topics you're interested in.
A quick hello: Use this time to connect with friends and loved ones. It doesn’t have to be lengthy, but you’d be surprised what a friendly voice can do to boost your spirits. Try to avoid work-related topics.
In your free time, if you haven’t joined one of the many online communities of veterinarians through social media sites, consider joining. (This can also be a small but helpful way to break up your day between appointments.)
Sometimes, just having a brief conversation (or even reading conversations) with those who wear similar shoes can be validating and relieving.
Remember…Your community needs you.
Not only for the world-class veterinary care you provide but also for all the value you bring to the world outside of working hours.
Our selfless ambition to improve the lives of pets and their parents is often an unintentional bend toward perfectionism, which can negatively affect our mentality.
If you, or someone you know in the veterinary community, are struggling with ongoing overwhelm, burnout, anxiety, or depression, rest assured you have a shoulder to lean on. Here are just a few of the many resources committed to our well-being:
· NOMV (Not One More Vet): https://www.nomv.org/
· Vets4Vets: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/vets4vets/
· BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com/
If you’re looking for more suggestions for finding or maintaining a healthy work-life balance, check this article: Well-Being and Work-Life Balance for Veterinary Professionals.
