800-928-0229
5 Ways to Prioritize Your Well-Being with Locum Tenens
The prognosis for burnout among healthcare professionals remains critical. Survey after survey confirms that, not only do clinicians admit to feeling the impact of burnout on the job, but they also suggest it influences their choice whether or not to stay in their careers. As many administrators, industry leaders, and fellow physicians have stated, provider burnout is a chronic condition that demands strategic and multifaceted solutions. For instance, more and more hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities are establishing employee well-being initiatives. Professional associations and non-profit organizations also have developed programs to give physicians and advanced practitioners tools to effectively treat symptoms of burnout.
Here, we have adapted five pillars of lifestyle medicine, featured on PsychiatryAdvisor.com, to illustrate how locum tenens practice offers another viable means to help ease the effects of burnout and even rekindle interest and investment in your profession.
- Stress Prevention and Relief
Locum tenens assignments can help moderate some of the stressors typically associated with career dissatisfaction. For example, multiple studies confirm a high degree of non-clinical duties on shift can lead to burnout. Locum tenens providers have fewer of those tasks in their daily schedule. Stepping into a clinical setting on a temporary basis extricates you from most managerial responsibilities. Rather, your practice becomes much more patient-forward. Having the majority of your work hours devoted to treating people — using your skills, knowledge, and experience — brings providers back to what they most enjoy about the job. Oftentimes that shift in focus can be a balm for burnout.
- Healthful Nutrition
If you have specific dietary needs, arrange to have products delivered to your temporary home. Or, pack preferred items along with your stethoscope and scrubs. Also, check if the region boasts farmers markets, roadside produce stands, or local fish mongers featuring catch of the day to taste the locally sourced fare.
- Restorative Sleep
Starting a shift after a restful slumber is a great way to prevent symptoms of burnout from encroaching. Locum tenens providers have an interesting advantage: you do not return to all the distractions of home that may occur after a typical workday as a permanent employee. In other words, you are granted more leeway with your off-duty hours, so take advantage of it by indulging in a mindful bedtime routine. Relax with music. Wind down with a book. Stretch out with yoga or fill the time with meditation. Also read our blog, “Establishing a Sense of Home While Working Locum Tenens,” for more helpful hints on how to turn a temporary sleeping environment into more comfortable surroundings.
- Physical Activity
Curiosity about your new community, visiting intriguing sights, or taking advantage of local natural settings may be all the reason locum tenens providers need to get out and about. While on assignment, walk through the town’s shopping district. Hike or bike nearby trails. Or, if you prefer, check out local gyms, especially if you have a membership in a national chain and there’s a location in town. You may also want to consider scheduling contracts to accommodate athletic competitions or use the time away to focus on training.
- Social Connections
Every locum tenens job introduces physicians and advanced practitioners to new colleagues as well as members of the community. This opens the door to become more social. In fact, it behooves locums providers to be a bit socially outgoing while acclimating to a new workplace and co-workers. What’s more, many locums professionals relay stories about how they’ve made friendships that have outlasted the assignment during which they were formed. Another benefit is to use locum tenens contracts to bring you closer to friends and family who live far from home. Tell your All Star consultant if you have specific locations in mind.
These are just a few ways locum tenens can help you establish a more conducive work-life balance and revitalize your professional spirit. Get started by making All Star Healthcare Solutions your locum tenens partner. Call us today at 800-928-0229, or contact us online.
