Using the Language of Art to Create Work-Life Balance
An earlier version of this article was published on KevinMD.com in 2023
For most physicians, achieving work-life balance is a top priority. But what does balance mean? And is it even possible?
In this article, I propose that there is more than one way to conceptualize balance. Before we explore these new perspectives, it’s important to address a common alternative: the concept of work-life integration.
Because the concept of balance often feels unattainable, and perhaps even undesirable, some argue that “work-life integration” is the better term. This popular terminology implies that somehow work and personal life should seamlessly intertwine, one gently flowing into the other.
It’s a trendy buzzword in managerial circles, but for physicians, work-life integration is often not a choice—it’s a given. And between taking call, attending after hours committee meetings, slogging through the EHR, and making time for CME and recertification, what’s labeled as “personal time” often gets consumed by work-related demands.
That’s why the work-life integration construct for physicians often means no real boundaries at all.
In this model, work doesn’t just blend into your personal life—it takes over. And yet, the reverse is rarely possible. There may be no space in the work day for your own needs.
Let’s be honest: it’s rare that you can realistically bring family or personal responsibilities into the hospital or clinic. For most physicians, that’s neither practical nor desirable.
So where does that leave us? I believe that work-life balance—not integration—is still the better goal. But the way we think about balance is often flawed.
When we picture balance, most people imagine a seesaw or a perfectly balanced scale, where equal weight on both sides creates harmony. It’s a tidy image but one that’s unrealistic for most lives, especially for physicians.
Instead, there’s a deeper, more creative way to think about balance—one that borrows from the language of art. By embracing this alternative perspective, you will discover a dynamic and fulfilling concept of balance that can help you to create a more sustainable and happy life.
Before we go any further, it’s valuable to think about work-life balance as more than simply “work” and “life”. Work is an important part of life, and perhaps even a defining feature of the life you’ve chosen. But “life” isn’t just what’s left over after work. It can be useful to think about life as a array of different elements. Broadly speaking, these may include
Family
Friends
Leisure
Self-Care
Anything else that’s meaningful to you
Equalizing all of these factors our using traditional concepts of balance is virtually impossible.
But if we borrow the concept of balance from art theory, it all starts to make more sense.
Concepts of Balance
In art, balance can be
Symmetric
Asymmetric
Radial
Crystallographic (Mosaic)
Let’s take a little detour into art theory so I can show you what this means.
Symmetric
Think of the typical balanced scale, or a mirrored pair.
This is the traditional way that we think of balance.
Asymmetric
The perception of weight across the composition may be balanced, but each element has a different size or mass.
This form of balance tends to create more interesting and dynamic images.
Radial balance
This type of balance uses a central focal point
Rays, spirals, or ripples radiate outward
Fragment, Peru c. 1000-1476 AD, Kate S. Buckingham Endowment, Art Institute of Chicago
Crystallographic (Mosaic) balance
A large number of elements share equal weight
There is no single focal point
Choosing Asymmetry
Any of these constructs may work for you. For many physicians, an asymmetric concept of balance can be especially useful. Think about the way you might create a rock garden. With asymmetric balance, you have wide latitude to play with different scale and elements. There is no exact formula, but you feel it when it’s right.
Compared to the symmetric form of balance, where both sides hold equal weight, asymmetric balance falls apart when the elements are too similar.
In asymmetric balance there is usually a dominant element, with the other components playing a supportive or bridging role. Often two smaller elements work harmoniously to balance a larger one. In an asymmetric painting like Van Gogh’s Starry Night, there may be some tension, but the image still feels complete.
Starry Night, Vincent van Gogh, 1889. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Asymmetric balance can be interesting to play with. Moving one element often means that the others must also be moved in order to maintain a sense of harmony. This new configuration might strike a different, even unexpected, chord and create different relationships between the pieces.
When thinking about creating your own work-life balance, asymmetric balance may be a good starting point to consider. As your priorities shift over time, your vision of balance may also change. At any time, you can rearrange the elements to make them work for you.
How do you begin to define your own work-life balance? Take another cue from the art world. Sit down with pen and paper and sketch it out in words or pictures. This form of reflection is a great way to get clarity on your own ideas so you can create your vision for the future.
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