Top Tips to Maintain Relationships/Marriage as a Doctor

The ongoing pandemic has affected everyone but has been particularly stressful for frontline workers. While most of us were complying with requests to stay at home at various points of the crisis, doctors had no choice but to attend patients in hospital, or cope with increasingly heavy workloads in general practice surgeries. Medical practitioners have also had to cope with maintaining relationships against this fraught backdrop. Here we provide top tips for doctors trying to achieve a successful work/life balance.

Allow yourself downtime

Ensure you give yourself time to switch off from the rigors of your professional activities. Many people who have always had the ambition

to begin dating a doctor connected with their partner via websites offering online dating services. These sites and their app versions offer a convenient platform for matchmaking, but also socializing in general. There will be chat room facilities where you can touch base with other sites users at any time. Whatever aspects of your hectic lifestyle are proving difficult, digital conversations with the other members can help ease the tension. The fact you can access this communication source 24/7 is always encouraging.

Open communication

The key to a healthy relationship as a doctor is to maintain open lines of communication with your partner, at all times. Set aside a particular moment each day when you will touch base with your significant other and offload any burdens that are weighing heavily. There is a familiar adage, ‘a problem shared is halved,’ and this is something you should be acutely aware of working in medicine. You are bound to come across dramatic situations. By chatting about these informally with your partner, you’ll be able to put these in perspective.

Keep abreast of developments

Trying to keep a finger on the pulse of what’s happening in the medical world (excuse the pun!) There are all sorts of websites, online journals, and forums you can access. This will allow you to keep abreast of developments, enabling you to anticipate likely problems before they occur. You can also join relevant groups on social media that discuss news bulletins relevant to your profession. If you have any queries about issues on the horizon, these can be chatted about with your fellow professionals, allowing you to take appropriate action well in advance.

Utilize support

There are all sorts of networks available to medical professionals. You might sometimes feel as if you are on your own when it comes to dealing with patients and the problems arising. But there will always be people willing to provide guidance and support. Make sure you have contact details for appropriate counsellors; they will be only too willing to provide advice to their colleagues whenever they are undergoing any troubling situations. This is a worthwhile information hub that can be tapped into when you are feeling any strains that might impact your relationship. Your partner should also be kept aware of these avenues and the objective point of view they offer. Appreciating there are people out there who will always have your back will assist you in maintaining a positive professional and social life.

Take advantage of technology

Technology is another valuable tool in your arsenal if you are a doctor keen to ensure your relationship remains intact. Whenever you have a quiet moment between patients or during a lunch break, just pick up your phone and indulge in a quick video chat or exchange WhatsApp messages with your loved one. If you are in a situation where you are going to be working away from home for any period, utilize software such as Zoom, Skype or FaceTime and keep touching base.

 

Jeff Campbell