When demands outweigh control and support, stress levels will be high, Dr. Warde said.
In a recent survey of hospitalists at 20 U.S. academic medical centers, 67% reported high stress, 57% reported having 20% or less protected academic time, 54% were satisfied with their ability to control their schedule, 63% were satisfied with the support from their division chief, and 70%-80% were satisfied with their professional relationships (Arch. Intern. Med. 2011;171:782-785).
Dr. Warde recommended an exercise for evaluating one’s work-life balance: Create a grid with three categories on the horizontal axis – Demand, Control, and Support – and three categories on the vertical axis: Personal, Family, and Professional. Fill in each column of the grid as they apply to you. "You’ll be able to identify simple ways to alter" some of the factors that you list to foster balance and reduce the stress in your life, she said.
"The thing not to do is to ignore it," Dr. Warde said.
The speakers reported having no financial disclosures.