It’s Time to Talk About Physician Work-Life Balance
An earlier version of this article appeared on Doximity, where I was a 2022-2023 Op-Med Fellow.
For many physicians, work-life balance is a top priority. In 2018, 63% of physicians finishing residency programs cited it as their most important consideration when choosing a job, according to CHG Healthcare. In 2022, it was 85%, a number that has held steady as of 2025. At the same time, work-life balance can be an uncomfortable topic to raise with new employers or associates.
Concern about work-life balance crosses all demographics, even if it’s not always discussed. Although women physicians tend to rate work-life balance as somewhat more important than men, it is a top priority for millennial physicians across genders.
Work-life balance has important ramifications that extend well beyond personal happiness. Dissatisfaction with work-life balance is strongly associated with burnout and is a common reason physicians leave their practices. This means that inadequate attention to work-life balance can be costly to the healthcare system as well as a loss for patients whose lives depend on access to high quality, consistent care.
Yet physicians often avoid raising this crucial issue with potential employers and even colleagues for fear of being judged and found lacking.
The Fear of Judgment is Real
That fear is not unfounded. Providing timely care sometimes requires personal sacrifice: a sleepless night on call, a canceled outing when a patient becomes critically ill, or family time spent completing charts. These are daily realities for many physicians. The profession is demanding and the stakes are high.
But occasional sacrifice is different from routinely setting aside your own well-being, or that of your family and loved ones, as proof of devotion to a “higher calling.” Physicians often internalize this expectation, while healthcare institutions may reinforce it through an always-on culture that idealizes self-sacrifice without adequately supporting or compensating for it.
In a profession built on teamwork, even expressing a desire for greater balance can feel risky. Physicians may worry that colleagues will see them as weak, lazy, or unwilling to do their share.
There will always be times when a sick patient must take priority. But acknowledging that you also want time for your health, relationships, and interests does not make you less committed to your practice. Creating a more sustainable life can strengthen your relationships, extend your professional longevity, and help you continue giving patients your best.
Tangible Benefits of Seeking Balance
Research shows that not only do people who make time for family, hobbies, and health feel a greater sense of balance, but they may also provide better care.
⚖️ A British study found that employees who engaged in creative activities were more likely to discover creative solutions to problems at work.
⚖️ A study of nearly 300 ICU staff members, including physicians, found that those who engaged in hobbies experienced less post-traumatic stress.
⚖️ A German study reported that those physicians with better work-life balance were less likely to experience burnout and more motivated to stay in the profession, contributing to a stronger healthcare workforce.
⚖️ And a Duke study found that higher work-life balance measures among hospital staff, including physicians, correlated with greater patient safety and improved teamwork.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, there can be serious consequences to ignoring your life outside of medicine. A study of members of the American College of Surgeons published in 2012 found that those with conflicts between work and home life were more than twice as likely to experience burnout and depression. Experiencing this conflict also meant that the surgeons surveyed were more likely to leave their current practice.
A 2025 meta-analysis including studies of physicians from around the globe reported similar findings. The importance of creating policies that promote work-life balance along with tools for financial security and mental health were emphasized by the authors.
What Does Work-Life Balance Look Like for You?
Work-life balance is deeply personal. It often shifts with life’s seasons.
Parents of young children might prioritize family time and set hobbies and career growth aside for a while.
New physicians may need to focus on building their patient base and refining their skills.
Ambitious physicians seeking leadership roles might accept that these positions come with time demands that require meaningful trade-offs.
Later-career physicians may be eager to explore passions or relationships outside of medicine that they previously neglected.
Whatever your circumstances, achieving balance starts with acknowledging your needs and crafting a plan to meet them.
Discovering Balance
Here are some things to consider as you begin to define what balance means for you:
✅Acknowledge Your Needs: Wanting more from life doesn’t make you less dedicated. You’re allowed to be a doctor and a spouse, parent, or adventurer.
✅Create a Plan: Start small. Identify what balance looks like for you right now, and map out achievable steps to get there.
✅Reassess Your Practice: Are there opportunities to cut back hours or take a regular day off? Could changing roles or even employers help you reclaim time?
✅Delegate Wisely: Hire help where needed. That could mean a scribe, a babysitter, a dog walker, or a housecleaner. Small investments in assistance can free you for the things that matter most.
✅Reevaluate Your Commute: Use your travel time for audiobooks, meditation, or CME. Or consider moving closer to work to reclaim precious hours.
✅Say No Strategically: Not every committee or project is worth the sacrifice. Be intentional about the responsibilities you take on.
✅Embrace Imperfection: You don’t need to dive headfirst into a new hobby. Start small. ten minutes of yoga, a quick walk, or a short meditation can work wonders.
✅Limit Distractions: Set a limit on your social media apps and screen time. Replace mindless scrolling with meaningful activities, whether it’s reading, journaling, spending time with loved ones, or pursuing a creative interest.
✅Try Something New: Join a workshop or pick up a hobby you’ve always been curious about. The joy of learning can be invigorating, and may even open up new ways of thinking.
✅Book a Getaway: Set a date, buy a ticket, and commit to taking time off. The anticipation alone can be rejuvenating.
Taking the First Step
No matter what work-life balance means to you, realize that an ideal balance looks different for each person. It can change over the course of a lifetime.
The most important way to achieve the balance you’re seeking is to put your ideas into action. Small but deliberate steps can move you in new directions, without requiring a big commitment. And you may find that in the process, you generate more joy, creativity, and resilience in your medical practice.
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References
2025 Physician Sentiment Survey: Engagement and retention. (n.d.). https://chghealthcare.com/resources/physician-sentiment-engagement-retention
Bodendieck, E., Jung, F. U., Conrad, I., Riedel-Heller, S. G., & Hussenoeder, F. S. (2022). The work-life balance of general practitioners as a predictor of burnout and motivation to stay in the profession. BMC primary care, 23(1), 218. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-022-01831-7
Thimmapuram, J. R., Grim, R., Bell, T., Benenson, R., Lavallee, M., Modi, M., Noll, D., & Salter, R. (2019). Factors Influencing Work-Life Balance in Physicians and Advance Practice Clinicians and the Effect of Heartfulness Meditation Conference on Burnout. Global advances in health and medicine, 8, 2164956118821056. https://doi.org/10.1177/2164956118821056