Work, Life, and Medicine: Finding the right balance

There seems to be this misconception in medicine that medical students are far too busy to have a social life, let alone work or commit to any sort of sports or hobby. So when you’re considering your next 4 to 6 years in a medical degree and what you’ll be doing, you’re probably thinking that it will revolve around class and study. Don’t get sucked into this way of thinking because, it is simply a misconception.

 

There is a right balance for everyone, so don’t be scared by older years saying that they are so overworked and have no time because by that point, they are preparing for the end of their degree and preparing to move into a well paying job. They can afford to give up a little bit, because in a year or so, they will be starting a new chapter in their life. But in the 2 to 4 years leading up to that point, you should be able to enjoy spending time with friends, make some money and keep on top of study all at the same time.

 

So first we’ll start with a hotly debated topic; to work or not to work? For someone like myself, I didn’t really have an option. I moved to the city from a rural town near Maitland and although my parents supported me throughout the whole transition, I had to start making money to be able to afford the cost of living in Sydney. At first, I thought it was impossible (hearing the whole ‘medical students have no time’ spiel over and over), but it actually gave me an outlet to socialize outside medicine.

 

I started by working in restaurants and made sure my shifts never overlapped with class (This is a BIG NO NO) and you’ll find that the majority of employers will be completely understanding of that. Like a lot of other medical students, I later picked up tutoring; it’s good pay, requires only a few hours throughout the week and you can essentially set your own shifts. If anyone could argue that they couldn’t work because they couldn’t find 5 hours throughout the week to tutor 5 students, then there is something wrong because no one is THAT short on time. I know people who have used weekends and afternoons to work, I know people who have worked night jobs and I know people who have worked an hour here or there and they have all managed to do this comfortably. As long as you don’t let your work take priority over your study, you can do it.

 

Now what about your social life – will that be jeopardized going into medicine? If anything, it will only thrive. You’ll find that you can become part of a much bigger community that wants you to excel, so it is an extremely supportive community. You’ll never be short on socializing with all the social events organized by the student body and if you join in on university-organized events also, you can meet people outside your degree too. But sometimes it’s nice to socialize outside the walls of the university and this is possible as well. Depending on how you like to study, you might find it easier to catch up with friends in the morning or in the afternoon here and there, or you might prefer to write off an entire day and get all your socializing done on that day! And if uni is slow, particularly at the beginning of the semester, why not spend a bit more time at the beach or out with friends; as the semester heats up, you’ll thank yourself for not rushing into it so quickly.

 

It can never be said enough, but exercise is the key to a happy body and healthy mind. I’m not talking hardcore, hit the gym everyday bodybuilder style exercise (although that works too!), I’m talking about getting your body moving each day for at least half an hour. The beauty of this is that there are very few days in your life where you will have less than half an hour free somewhere throughout the day. For me, I find the best time to get active is in the morning, I find it wakes me up and I feel stimulated enough to keep the momentum going throughout the day. I find it actually creates time for me to do things that I would not have otherwise, like catching up with friends or going to that extra tutorial after class. If you’re not a morning person, use the half an hour after class finishes to go do a yoga class, go for a jog or go to the gym. If you put exercise into your daily routine, you will be thanking yourself every day!

 

The key to balancing all these things is practice. Try taking on a weekend job and see how you go for a few weeks. If your marks drop or you find yourself too stressed, drop it back to one day or afternoon shifts, and try and find a job in something you like! If you like your job, it won’t seem like hard work. Around exam times, you might have to say no to a couple of social events but don’t let the rest of your semester and your breaks be hindered by a couple of weeks of exams. You’ll quickly work out what works for you in time budgeting socializing. And finally, as long as you keep active, you won’t feel the heavy weight of trying to balance everything yourself. Work hard, but not too hard and play hard, but not too hard. Life is about balance right?


Thanks for reading! - Sarah R