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How to Stay in Touch with Friends and Family During Locum Tenens Assignments

Locum tenens professionals enjoy the chance to travel to new cities, experience life in a variety of communities, and meet an eclectic array of personalities. Of course, choosing to practice as a locum tenens provider also means being away from home for a given length of time. Whether you prefer quick assignments that span a few days or more long-term opportunities that run a few weeks or months, staying in contact with friends, significant others, and family while on locum tenens jobs will keep you connected while away from home.

Here, we highlight 10 methods to foster those personal relationships.

1. Schedule video calls
   Make plans in advance to see and talk with loved ones on a regular basis. Use the time to catch up on kids’ school and activities so you stay in the loop, for instance. Address homelife issues if needed, but also use the calls to attend a virtual dinner with everyone where spontaneous conversations pop up.

2. Arrange for short visits home
   While fulfilling long-term locum tenens assignments, there may be an occasion to arrange a few days break for a quick trip back home. Or, invite your significant other, best friend, or family members to visit your temporary hometown so they can experience the area, too.

3. Request locums opportunities near friends and family
   Did you move away after college or medical training? Perhaps your adult children and their families have established homes and careers in different states. Or do you have school and college friends who scattered to various points after graduation? Locum tenens opportunities allow you to reconnect with family and friends in person. Speak with your All Star Healthcare Solutions recruiter about adding specific locations to your travel wish list so you can get closer to extended family and friends. Not only does the proximity make it easier to plan get-togethers, there’s also the possibility to tag on extra days before or after the contract so you can spend uninterrupted time with the people in your life.

4. Track activities with online friends
   There is a bounty of apps out there to track your steps, miles biked, heart rate while running, and any number of physical activities. While it’s interesting to gauge your personal stats, these programs also facilitate online communities for individuals with shared interests. The virtual nature supports connections without geographical boundaries, so it’s easy to maintain your presence when working locums. Plus, it is good motivation to stay on track of fitness goals during assignments.

5. Play games together
   Gaming technology keeps getting smaller, lighter, faster, and more mobile. Whether you log on via a smartphone, portable gaming console, or laptop, there’s no reason to put your game on pause when you leave for a locum tenens job. What’s more, multi-player games and online platforms invite participants to chat from wherever they log in. If your kids are into video games, scheduling time for a family competition is a fun way to connect while on assignment. There are even online board games you can all play together.

6. Celebrate events virtually
   Thanks to smartphone video capabilities, you can watch school performances and sporting events from a distance. If you happen to be on a locums job when your child, a friend, family member, or anyone special to you has a big event, ask someone who will be in attendance to livestream or record a video and send it to you, so you can watch the performance. Also, to mark important personal dates, such as birthdays, holidays, and anniversaries, arrange to have something special delivered, like flowers or a meal from a favorite restaurant. If schedules coordinate, make a reservation with your partner or family member for a virtual dinner.

7. Write letters home
   While technology has many advantages to maintain communications, there remains something special about a handwritten letter. If your locum tenens contract requires you to be away for an extended period, jot down a letter to the people at home once in a while. Use the opportunity to describe your new community so they can envision where you’re staying (postcards are great for this). Share a funny story or experience. The old-school approach oftentimes serves as a welcomed break from text messages and emails.

8. Welcome a remote worker to join you
   Where people work today is far more fluid than ever before. This new flexibility opens the possibility for others to travel with you to locum tenens assignments without having to take time off from their job. See our blog, “Experiencing the Locums Lifestyle with a Partner Who Works Remotely” for tips on how to accommodate a mobile office into your temporary housing arrangements.

9. Make new friends
   Of course, it’s important to build rapport with your co-workers on each new locum tenens contract, and you may discover people with whom you just click, either on a professional or personal level. Forbes reported on a YouGov study that found 75 percent of people make friends on the job. Our blog, “6 Tips to Making Friends While on Locum Tenens Assignments,” offers strategies on how to find friendships while on contract.

10. Stay in touch with new friends
    Collect your new friends’ contact and social media info before wrapping up your contract so you can keep in touch after you return home or move on to your next temporary position. Many seasoned locum tenens professionals say the friendships they form while practicing at different facilities last well beyond the assignments and are one of the key perks to the career alternative.

If you are looking into locum tenens, call an All Star Healthcare Solutions consultant today at 800-928-0229, or contact us online.