Work, workload and life balance

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Work, workload and life balance

• Melanie Jones
• Chair, AIM

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Some questions for all of us

• Do you live to work or work to live?
• How much money do you need to live?
• Is money or time more important?
• Do you feel guilty if you say no when asked to
  work an extra session/night?
• Do you say yes to requests so others think well
  of you?
• Do you think you work too much?
• Do you think about work at night / at weekends?

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The balance of your life
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Professional status and behaviours

• Our work defines us as a person
• Society gives status to doctors
• Bound by a code of ethics
• UK long hours culture
• High achievers
• High level of altruistic behaviour
• Detriment of own health
• Sacrifice time with families

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Pressures to increase workload

• Cover for colleagues sickness, leave
• Waiting list pressures
• Dont let patients down
• Same person(s) always asked - resentment
• Dont want to let department or family down
  internal conflict
• Remember your lead clinician under pressure if
  list cancelled

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Stress Performance Connection
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Stress and Bullying

• All Trusts have dignity at work policies
• May feel bullied if too much pressure exerted to
  undertake extra work
• Develop strategy for additional work personal
  and departmental
• Career should not suffer if decline extra work

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Generic skills to improve balance

• Time Management
• Stress Management
• Assertiveness
• Dealing with conflict
• Physical fitness / exercise
• Mentoring and Coaching
• Appraisee skills

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Leave entitlement use it!

• Annual leave
• Study leave
• Professional leave
• Career break
• Sabbatical
• Parental Leave
• Carers leave
• Sick leave

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Is your life balanced?

• Take a holiday
• Eat breakfast
• Exercise
• Spend time with your partner
• Meet friends in evening
• Eat less
• Drink more water
• Drink less alcohol

• Reduce your work hours
• Retire
• Play sports
• Switch off the TV
• Switch off the computer
• Take up a new activity
• Say NO
• Indulge yourself for an hour a week

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