Work-life balance is dead. Integrate instead.

VetReflections Work-Life Integration

Today the boundaries between one’s professional and personal life are constantly blurring. It is impractical to think of work-life balance as a complete separation between worlds.

Technology means that we’re all available 24/7. Everyone (and particularly emerging group of millennial clients) demands instant reaction and instant connectivity, there are no boundaries, no breaks.

Each of us probably asked ourselves the age-old question: is it ever possible to juggle work and home life effectively? Well, the answer could depend on how well we can integrate all the pieces – rather than simply relying on getting the balance right.

Balance is unrealistic goal that stresses us out more than we think. This is particularly true for veterinary professionals, who never quite had a ‘balance’ to begin with because pet lives and client’s demands often come first. Even when we work in the industry, often we approach projects as ‘critical patients’

In light of the dramatic increase in suicide rates in our profession – it is important we adapt a more realistic terminology and more importantly explore how veterinary team & leadership could help make work-life integration an everyday reality.

Key Definitions:

VetReflection Balance
BALANCE
VetReflections Integration
INTEGRATION
50% work / 50% lifeComplete integration of:
-Work
-Home/Family
-Community
-Alone Me Time
Either / orIntegration
Right/ WrongAll valuable
One size fits allFlexible
Work HarderWork Smarter
Burn Out risk
Low Engagement
Productivity
Satisfaction
High Engagement

The benefits of work-life integration

value

Work-life integration is a great way to give time and attention to all areas of life, without having to sacrifice one for the other. It is more realistic to achieve and it brings a new outlook on work.

Veterinary professionals in selected specialties (like dermatologists, oncologists, physiotherapists, locum vets) have the advantage to make it happen due to the nature of their work and new technologies supporting distant online communications. For others, such as ER vets or surgeons – the entire system needs to be flexed.

Work-life integration doesn’t look the same for everyone – and how one chooses to organise their time will depend on both their professional and personal commitments and aspirations.

Whilst work-life integration is often a useful way to fulfill personal and career goals simultaneously, nobody expects veterinarians to merge both areas of their life completely. Attention must be paid to well-being and overall happiness and, crucially, veterinary professionals must do what’s right for them personally.

It might not work for everyone – but done right, work-life integration could be key to improving your career happiness and reducing levels of stress, anxiety, burnout and suicide.

Today, the picture is mostly like this:

  • Defined Schedules
  • Time off is strictly scheduled and generally restricted (e.g. vacation)
  • Break from work is not generally acceptable, maternity leave is limited
  • Break from work is not generally acceptable, parental leave is limited
  • Veterinary work can only be done in the clinic environment (industry vet work – in the corporate office)
  • Passion projects (new specialty, professional course of choice or even a hobby) only funded by the individual as if ‘non-work related’
  • Exercising strictly before or after work
  • Leaving work shift exactly at X pm, as per agreed standard shift schedule, to pick up a child after daycare
  • A single policy for all

In the future of integration, it should look more like this:

  • Flexible schedules that allow integrating day to day life, powered by AI technologies and efficient scheduling algorithms
  • Systems are in place to handle ad hoc time offs, making them ‘normal’ (in partnership with locums)
  • Sabbaticals are generally accepted, maternity/paternity leaves are flexible
  • Some work can be done from home with the support of technology (Telework, Telemedicine, Telehealth, Digitalisation of paperwork, AI assistants replace paperwork all together)
  • Employer supports, encourages and even funds individual ‘passions’ and side-hustles to ensure overall well-being, happiness and development
  • Yoga, mindfulness, gym at the clinic. Often a dedicated position to support well-being.
  • Bringing the child to work after school with someone to watch over should there be a need or as a common service
  • Flexible policy based on the individual situation

Suggested readings & activities to explore

  • Read ‘Leading the life you want. Skills for integrating work & life” by S.Friedman. Some of the ideas outlined in this blog were inspired by this book.
  • Complete personal assessments to increase self-awareness and understand your individual needs, for example ‘Emotional Index’
  • Commit time to daily reflection (check Vet Reflections blog for more posts on reflective thinking and consider joining our 7-day challenge)
  • Practice and experiment with work-life integration concept. Work with your employer to develop a small initiative in your clinic (arrange for one if you are a practice owner!)
  • Get a support from the life-coach (you will be surprised what good coaching can do to you:)
  • Share what you have learned with others and support those in need.
  • Stop to enjoy when things are good, remember that feeling for a “rainy day”

SUMMARY

There are plenty of opportunities for veterinary professionals to establish a work-life integration. The fact that we did things in some way for decades, doesn’t mean it stays like this forever.

The profession is solely responsible for the well-being of veterinarians and for offering support and guidance to the members of the veterinary community.

Regular workshops (live and online) are advisable to further identify solutions, develop conceptual prototypes on how to change the way we operate to better integrate all aspects of life: work, home/family, community and personal ‘ME’ time, so we can live healthier and happier lives while continue helping animals.


Above content was originally prepared for the NAVDF 2019, where I moderated a Design Thinking breakfast session on the topic of work-life integration for veterinary dermatologists. If you are interested to run a session in your business or practice, please drop me a line below.

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10 questions to kick-start your vet reflections journey

journeyreflection

It all starts with taking a step back, which is an important part of any problem-solving technique (and as members of vet profession, we are by default awesome problem-solvers:).


You must put yourself outside the situation and evaluate it with all the variables involved. Then you use your past experience to make plans or strategies that will create a desirable outcome from this situation.

time

Each day take 10-15 minutes at the close of the day to reflect on your day.

Here are some questions I use to guide my own reflective conversations:

questions

  1. Am I ok (not at all, somewhat, ok, quite ok, awesome)?
  2. What was the highlight of my day? Successes to note?
  3. What have I learned today that will help me grow? Mentally? In relationships?
  4. Where do I need to change? What mistakes can I grow from?
  5. Changes needed that will help me? What action steps do I now need to take?
  6. What was most meaningful in the day?
  7. Was I able to reach out and touch someone’s life by a smile? Helped? Was I kind? Did I make a difference? Whom could I help tomorrow?
  8. What other perspectives do I need to look at?
  9. Did I laugh today and have fun?
  10. What is a memory I’d like to remember?

write

Reflective thinking is more about writing down significant thoughts and action points. Write it in the dedicated notebook or use digital tools like Evernote, Google Keep, Apple Notes etc. I learned the hard way the benefit of writing or capturing these thoughts (memory is a b….).


The questions can be used in the context of the workday or teamed up with personal experiences. Pick and choose what you’d like…or come up with your own. Set aside 10-15 minutes a day to do it (ideally at the end of the day).

like

Let your Vet Reflections guide you to a happier, inspired, fulfilled and safe state of mind.

If you are willing to help me out to explore the effect of reflective thinking on the members of vet profession, please join my 7-Days Vet Reflections Challenge. You will get plenty of inspirations and opportunity to practice reflection. It takes only 10-15 min a day + a completion of 2 quick surveys.

Even if you don’t join the official challenge, consider practicing reflective thinking for your own benefit.

Li @ Vet Reflections


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Why Reflective Thinking can be a game-changer

thinkingreflection

Reflective thinking is the process where you slow down to interpret and evaluate your experiences, check that they make ‘sense’ to you, create meaning, justify your actions, solve problems and savor good moments to create distinct memories and let go of stuff. It helps with your future planning and wires your brain in the positive & constructive manner.

Reflective thinking is powerful because it enables you to make faster and more informed judgments without having to spend a lot of time analysing the situation. I think it is a game-changer for veterinary profession if we can all master it.

reflections

You can apply this method to any situation (work case, family matter, lecture at the vet conference etc) from your own life or from the lives of others.

Why we all love the Facebook groups? Because actually a lot of content there is based off individual reflections. You are welcome – now you can use this ‘scientific evidence’ to justify the time spent scrolling through those posts:).

value

Values of Reflective Thinking for veterinary professionals:

  • Gives perspective within context
  • Allows you to continually connect with inner-self
  • Rewire your brain to remember more positives
  • Provides counsel and direction regarding the future
  • Increases confidence in decision-making

perspective

Let’s dissect this for a moment or two.

Reflective thinking gives you true perspective and keep you connected with inner-self. It puts your experience into perspective – small stuff, a crisis, a difficult case, an irritation from a difficult client or a great event to savor forever. This allows you to focus on what is really important to you. Connect with your life to gain true perspective and think with understanding.

Reflective Thinking helps rewire your brain. For example, thinking/reflecting on a vacation or a case helps make memories. Without reflecting on something, memories are not made. Ever wondered why you have vague memories of some things and vivid memories of others? Part of it is the attention you paid to it…going over it again, reflecting on it from various angles.

Now with reflective techniques you can spend more time reflecting on positive things, creating more ‘good’ memories and increasing your level of happy. This in return will help deescalate everyday pressure built up and give you small actionable steps to take vs big unrealistic goals.

Reflective thinking allows you to profit from experiences to empower direction for your future. It takes a good experience and makes it a valuable experience by examining it. This is how you learn from both successes and mistakes. It helps you discover what you should repeat and determine what you should change.

Reflective thinking increases your confidence in decision-making. A person looks over the various angles of something to ponder and gain insight. Capture other possibilities or things that may have been done should a similar situation raises. Next time it happens – you will be more ready to face it with confidence.

joy

Few things in life can help you learn, improve, and enjoy life the way reflective thinking can. Add appreciation for the little things of each day by taking the time to acknowledge and memorise.

Reflective thinking can be mastered if you nurture the following traits within you:

Awareness1. Self-awareness: First and foremost, you should have a firm grasp about yourself. Your abilities, your past experiences, and goals. Self-awareness helps you to have a better understanding of the position you are in, and what can be done from that position.

2. Self-improvement: Each experience is a lesson that needs to be learned. When you find obstacles or success, make sure that you study about the routes you chose and the experiences that come with it.

Empowerment3. Empowerment: Apply the lessons learned from your experience and put them to use in real-life scenarios. You are empowering yourself to become a better version of yourself.

Convinced yet? Check out the 10 questions I use to stimulate daily reflections.

Li @ Vet Reflections

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