For many healthcare providers, the idea of achieving work-life balance is farfetched. High-stress work environments are unfortunately commonplace, and burnout among physicians and nurses has only increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. When you experience burnout, you are at greater risk for physical and mental health problems, relationship conflicts, and lower efficacy at work.
Factors such as long work hours, heavy administrative loads, and lack of scheduling control contribute to burnout in healthcare. But it is possible to continue working in healthcare and minimize burnout. Taking locum tenens jobs is one way for you to find better balance between your personal and professional life, without compromising your income or career goals.
Here are three key work-life balance advantages of locum work:
- More control over your schedule
Locum tenens jobs are varied and allow you to choose hours and environments that best suit you. You can decide to work a busy short-term assignment and then take several weeks or months off to travel or spend time with family. Or you can look for an ongoing locum assignment with a more relaxed schedule that gives you more time to volunteer, be home with your kids, or explore hobbies.
- Variety in assignments and responsibilities
Changing work settings can be engaging and energizing. Locum jobs give you the opportunity to work in new cities, facilities, or teams for different lengths of time. If you find yourself getting burnt out putting in long shifts at a permanent position, locum assignments may be an ideal way to add novelty to your work life without commitment or risk.
- Clearer boundaries between work and home
It’s easy to bring the stress of full-time work home with you. But in a locum job that has well-defined parameters—filling in for an anesthesiologist on maternity leave or working one week a month as a CRNA in a surgery center, for example—it’s often simpler to set clear boundaries between personal and professional life. You are able to show up, be present, and do excellent work, then leave to spend your free time as you wish, without being weighed down with the worries and responsibilities of a permanent position.
Searching for a locum tenens anesthesia job? Contact Radar Healthcare Providers to learn about job opportunities nationwide.
