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Well-being & Work-Life Balance for Veterinary Professionals

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    Despite the wonderful aspects a career in veterinary medicine offers, there’s no denying that the field presents its own unique challenges.

    This may include long work hours, demanding appointment schedules, emotional ups and downs, and difficult clients—to name a few. 

    All of these factors and more contribute to burnout and stress amongst veterinary professionals. These factors are part of the reason why the suicide rate is higher in veterinarians and vet techs/nurses than in the general population.

    So even though veterinary medicine can be an amazing career—one where many professionals find joy and meaning by helping animals—work-life balance is very important for veterinary professionals. 

    Here are a few ways to start finding that balance…

    For Better Work-Life Balance, Think About What Matters Most to You

    There are many different aspects of life from which we can derive joy, purpose, and a sense of connection. The specifics will look different for everyone, depending on their individual needs and interests.

    But some examples include:

    • career

    • friends

    • family

    • dating or marriage

    • spirituality

    • hobbies

    • curiosity/learning new things

    • staying active

    • time for resting

    • volunteering

    • and more. 

    Imbalance can easily arise when a person puts too much focus on just one of these aspects of life.

    For example, if a person’s life is dominated by work, it’s easy to feel disproportionately upset when the workday is stressful or difficult.

    On the other hand, if a person has nurtured several of these areas of their life, a bad workday might not hit so hard. There’s a stronger foundation of other meaningful things in life on which to stand.

    So, which things matter most to you? Which parts of your life would you like to nurture more?

    Trying to do too many things at once can lead to burnout and giving up. So it’s important to start making positive changes by focusing first on the things that bring you the most joy, energy, and sense of connection.

    To Change Your Life, Start With Small, Achievable Goals

    After choosing which areas of your life you’d like to nurture more right now, think about practical ways to start making positive changes. 

    Trying to do too much at once, or setting huge goals that are unrealistic, can cause procrastination, a sense of discouragement and frustration, and giving up altogether. On the other hand, small changes can add up to surprisingly big results over time. 

    Try these techniques…

    • Follow your interests and curiosity. For the time being, forget about what you “should” be doing. Of course, do necessary things, like paying bills. But for your mental wellbeing, focus on what makes you smile and gives you more energy—such as a new hobby that seems impractical but fun.

    • Set realistic, small goals. For example, read 10 pages per day rather than trying to finish a book on a weekend, start meditating for 5 minutes rather than 30 minutes, or walk for 15 minutes rather than doing a long hike right away if you’d like to spend more time outdoors.

    • Nurture connections while honoring your boundaries. No one can be all things to all people. So if a friend or family member takes up too much time with negative phone calls or unreasonable obligations, think about ways to give them time without giving too much energy if you’re already tired from work. It’s okay to sometimes say no to events or phone calls and still have a healthy relationship or friendship.

    • Create more time for your priorities by keeping a “time journal” to see where your time truly goes each day. Figure out where you could make changes to do more of the things you love. 

    • Combine mundane tasks with something more meaningful or fun. For example, listen to a podcast while cleaning or driving, or meet up with a friend for socialization while exercising.

    • Set boundaries at work, too. Of course, this will depend on the specific workplace environment. And sometimes, a change of employment is necessary to have a healthier workplace. But often, discussions with bosses and colleagues allow new ideas to be integrated. 

    For example, “buffers” in the schedule (for walk-ins, emergencies, catch up, and even taking a short break) can help employees perform at their best and avoid mistakes. Pre-arranging patient care with colleagues can help avoid unnecessary phone calls on a person’s day off. And considerations for the well-being of all employees can contribute to a positive workplace with less staff turnover. 

    These and other strategies and be mutually beneficial for employers and employees alike.

    Finding the best work-life balance can take time. And a person’s needs may evolve throughout the course of their career and life—so it’s important to reassess and make “course corrections” as our needs and interests change.

    Set aside time each month to assess how things are going and where you’d like to make changes.

    The time spent on personal care and work-life balance isn’t time wasted—and wellbeing is a necessity, not a luxury.

    Life goes by quickly, so it’s important to think about the things that make life happy and meaningful. In addition to helping us live our best life, “filling our own cup” also allows us to be better caregivers for our patients and spark new enjoyment in our careers.

    For veterinary professionals who are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, there are many people and resources who would like to help. Here are a few:

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    Written by: Dr. Tammy Powell, DVM

    Brad Haven