Four Quick Tips to Strengthen Your Marriage
May 6th, 2011 2 Min readThis is part of a series of guest posts by Iris Grimm, creator of Balanced Physician
Surgeons married to physicians face more challenges in balancing their personal and professional lives than do surgeons whose partners work in a nonphysician field or stay at home, according to research findings published in the November 2011 issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. Additionally, two-doctor couples are more likely to delay having children and to feel that their work does not leave enough time for a family life.
The findings also show that surgeons in dual-physician relationships have a greater incidence of career conflicts, work/home conflicts, depressive symptoms, and low mental quality of life than surgeons whose partners stay at home.
If you are a surgeon married to a physician (or vice versa), here are a few recommendations for ensuring a long-lasting and fulfilling marriage:
Learn and practice effective communication skills to ensure teamwork and harmony
Good communication is the foundation for any successful marriage. Since you face even greater challenges than nonphysician couples, strengthening your communication with your spouse is extremely important.
Simplify your life and implement valuable systems
Automate bill payments, delegate chores, limit volunteer and committee responsibilities and keep your life manageable so that you have room for family time.
Plan vacations and date nights with your spouse
Spending alone time with your spouse is crucial for effective communication and a strong relationship. Plan a date night with your spouse at least once a month, and make sure you plan family vacation independent from CME conferences.
Control your stress
Stress is part of life. We all have different stress tolerance levels and it is up to us to keep stress controlled so that we stay productive and satisfied. When we deal with more stress than we can handle, we become irritable, frustrated and unbearable, which can fuel conflicts in our work and personal life.
Self-Reflection Questions
What do I enjoy most about my relationship with my spouse?
What could be improved?
Which skill mentioned above do I want to develop more?
Iris Grimm is the creator of the Balanced Physician programs. She provides physicians a comprehensive support system to meet their unique work, life and leadership challenges. For more information visit www.BalancedPhysician.com.
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