Leaving Practice Work at Work

I’m doing something tonight that I try hard not to do. In fact, it’s only the second time in the last eight months I’ve done it. I didn’t finish my charting at work, so am doing it at home. 

I am a strong proponent of doing work at work. Not only am I able to focus better, but I really hate the feeling of a big pile of charts to work on at the end of dinnertime/bath time/bedtime. But, sometimes, work-life balance means you need to fudge some of your own rules.

We are having major toddler-related sleep issues. I’m sure some of you can sympathize. Therefore, last week, on my late night when I would normally stay at work and finish charting, I came home in order to assist with what turned out to be a long, drawn-out, and difficult bedtime for all involved. Unfortunately, it meant I was still charting at 11 p.m.

Tonight, I encouraged my husband to go out with friends. He needed a break. However, it meant I needed to head right home after my last patient, leaving me with charts to finish after bedtime tonight.

In a perfect world, I guess I’d get all my charts done right away and not have this dilemma in the first place, but, alas, I don’t live there. I’m one of the most efficient people I know, but still have this difficulty of finishing my charts in a timely fashion, although I realize my definition of timely may be a topic of dispute.

So, one on hand I feel just a tad like a failure of my personal goal of being completely done with work by the time I’m walking to my car. On the other hand, I know that in both instances, I made the right choice.

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