How Do You Handle Work/Life Balance?

I feel very satisfied with my work/life balance because I’ve always tried to build what I do around how I feel I can contribute best.

In my career, I’ve been lucky enough to have lots of opportunities to work with lots of people — and it’s been incredibly rewarding.

Thankfully, I also have an incredible family who supports me. I’ve always made time for my family, whether it was coaching my kids when they were younger, or traveling with my wife now that my kids are in college. Having a happy, satisfied family has allowed me to be okay with working hard.

How do I manage the day-to-day? It all comes down to prioritizing and time management. Also, I emphasize personal communications as much as possible — whether it’s with my colleagues or with patients — because I think those personal communications are what give you the most happiness or satisfaction.

At the end of the day, I think I’m lucky enough to say that I don’t feel burnt out.

— Conor Delaney, MD, PhD
Chairman, Digestive Disease & Surgery Institute
Cleveland Clinic