DARRELL’S WORK-LIFE BALANCE ADVICE

Home Is for Relaxing

When you go home after work, it’s time to relax, unwind, and decompress from your busy day. However, work can follow you home and cause you to feel like your work is hiding around every corner. I understand how difficult it is to separate your work life from your personal life.

Doctors have many and varied responsibilities. On top of caring for your patients, you must manage your office, connect with your team members, keep up with insurance payments and legal work, pay bills, ensure daily processes are working correctly, and much more. You have a lot on your plate, and when you come home, you should take time for yourself.

However, questions regarding work may flood your mind while you’re at home — I promise, there are strategies you can use to help you to be more present.

One method that is helping me is something I talked about in a previous newsletter. When I come home from work, I keep my phone in my car until after my family and I eat dinner.

It’s refreshing to leave work at the door and concentrate on my family. My strategy may not be ideal for others, and I’m still learning what works for me. Therefore, blocking out time for self- care is also helpful! Use this time to focus on your hobbies, read a book you’ve been putting off, exercise, meditate, and more — this time is for you!

This month is National Comfort Month, and if there is anything I can do to help relieve some of the weight on your shoulders, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. Maybe some of the stress following you home is because of your lab service. Perhaps you’re having concerns about your lab due to communication issues, delivering cases late, not reading your lab slips correctly, or problems following specific Rx instructions.

You and your patients are my number one priority — and the last thing I want is for you to be unhappy. However, if you’re happy with the lab you’re currently working with, consider having Berkeley Dental Laboratory as your backup lab. That way, you’ll have a plan and be ready to help your patients when needed.

As always, I’m here for you and willing to help whenever it’s needed.