Episode 30: Finding balance in veterinary medicine

In veterinary medicine, work-life balance can be challenging to achieve. While finding equal balance isn’t always doable, giving equivalent quality to both worlds is, says practice owner Tracy Sands, DVM.

In this episode of The Vet Blast Podcast, Sands and practice manager Alec Failor offer insight on finding balance in this profession.

Finding balance means “being able to have pieces of yourself to give outside of work,” Failor tells Dr. Adam Christman. We often make excuses for not having balance, but this mindset is dangerous, Failor explains.

“It is the most important thing for you to do to take care of yourself because if you don’t have anything to give to anything else, you’re lost.”

So what can you start doing today to find more balance? Start saying no more, says the duo.

This profession is known for saying yes to everything, echoes Christman. It’s hard, but sometimes you can’t appease every client, he says, adding that your wellbeing comes first.

Sands agrees. There’s never enough time to get everything done, so you have to prioritize what has to be done vs what can wait for the next day.

“Even though saying no can be hard to do in the beginning. You have to look at whether it’s going to hurt or help to say yes,” says Sands.

Listen below for more nuggets on how to create balance, plus how to decompress after a long workday.