This is probably the biggest dilemma facing surgeons of all grades, stages and demographics; how do we juggle the knife and our life? Let's call it what it is...we need to have a life-work balance. The job is all-consuming and will devour your very essence if you let it, so how do we straddle both domains successfully? In the first of this three-parter (because, let's be honest, this is a huge topic worthy of time), we discuss:

• Good habits that can set you up to maximise your day and stop admin encroaching on your free time.
• Balancing the different roles we occupy.
• Making time for your hobbies and pursuits, whether those are smashing out ultra-triathlons, going outside to touch some grass or even just binging Netflix.
• Pearls of wisdom given to us by the wise old trainers of yore, warning us to capitalise on youth and freedom so that we're left with more than regret when we finally put the scalpel down.

Remember....get busy living or you'll be too busy shivving!

Walking Britain - finding walks close to you: https://www.walkingbritain.co.uk/

Ramblers - even more meandering: https://www.ramblers.org.uk/

D.A. Parry, R.S. Oeppen, M.S.A. Amin, P.A. Brennan (2018). Could exercise improve mental health and cognitive skills for surgeons and other healthcare professionals? BJOMS 56(5)367-370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjoms.2018.03.005.

Balancing a personal life with a surgical career | The Bulletin of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (rcseng.ac.uk)

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