The following summary of work-life balance resources includes links to a variety of programs, policies and practices that are designed to support the collegial community of UC faculty. These resources are designed to inform and support medical school faculty (at all levels) as they strive to integrate and balance their professional career, self, home, family and community life.

This summary of resources includes UC Davis campus and UC system-wide resources.

UC Davis Work Life
http://www.hr.ucdavis.edu/Work_Life

Faculty Advisors for Work Life
http://academicpersonnel.ucdavis.edu/worklife/biographies.cfm

Childcare
http://www.hr.ucdavis.edu/Work_Life/Life/childcare/childcare

Family Accommodations for Childbearing and Childrearing
http://www.ucop.edu/acadadv/acadpers/apm/apm-760.pdf

Limitation on Total Period of Service with Certain Academic Titles
http://www.ucop.edu/acadadv/acadpers/apm/apm-133.pdf

School of Medicine Faculty Leave Options for Childbearing/New Adoption/New Foster Placement
Summary in PDF Format

Retiree Center
http://retireecenter.ucdavis.edu/

Office of the Provose (Work Life Resources)
http://academicpersonnel.ucdavis.edu/worklife/

Academic and Staff Assistance Program
http://www.hr.ucdavis.edu/ASAP

Partner of Opportunity Program (POP)
http://popprogram.ucdavis.edu

UC Family Friendly Edge
http://ucfamilyedge.berkeley.edu/ucfamilyfriendlyedge.html

UC Families - An Online Newsletter
http://parents.berkeley.edu/ucfamilies/

Faculty members offer their top work-life balance strategies

Faculty members who we interviewed for the Faculty News story about work-life balance (June-July 2008 edition) each were asked to name their top three work-life balance coping strategies. Here are their suggestions.

Nathan Kuppermann

Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics; Bo Tomas Brofeldt Endowed Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine; Chair, Steering Committee, Pediatric Emergency Medicine; Chair, Steering Committee, Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN)

Enjoy your work. Work in a place that promotes enjoyment, camaraderie and fun. If your work setting does not promote that, consider making a change and finding a more supportive work environment. Otherwise, you will never be happy, work-life balance or not.
Be realistic. You can't do it all, either at work or in your personal life. Do what you love, and farm the rest out to a supporting cast. Having a chair and department that are supportive about work-life issues is helpful.
Live near family and friends. We all need a supporting cast and network in both our professional and personal lives. In addition, schedule a date night with your spouse or partner, your most important friend, at least every few weeks.

Nicole Glaser

Associate Professor, Pediatric Endocrinology

Do not feel obligated to say "yes" to everything. Choose projects wisely and aim for those with the highest likelihood of success.
Consider hiring help at home to do tasks you don't really care about -- cleaning, cooking or gardening, for example. Many people hire nannies or babysitters, but then do much of the cookie and cleaning themselves. At the same time, they feel that they do not spend enough time with their children. Look for creative ways to spend more time with your kids.
Be honest with your colleagues about work-family pressures. For example, if some meeting times are "family unfriendly," don't assume they cannot be changed. Discussing these issues at work is the first step toward improving work situations to create better balance.

Lydia Howell

Professor of Pathology; Vice Chair and Director of Anatomic Pathology Division, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.

There are different ways to be a parent. Find the one that is right for you and your family. You don't have to be the same kind of mother or father as your parents were, or your neighbors, siblings or friends are. There is more to being a good parent than being able to attend every soccer game or dance recital, or being able to do the carpooling. Find the duties and responsibilities that reflect your values and that are truly meaningful to you and your children, and concentrate on those.
Find a good childcare provider that you trust, and consider stretching it into the teen years, too. If you know your children are in good hands, you will minimize worry or distraction, and optimize your time at work. I owe a great deal of my career success to my babysitter, who looked after my daughters from birth 'til age 18. It was worth paying her to come over after school even when my daughters were in their teens; she did the carpooling when they couldn't drive, helped me with household tasks, and made sure the house wasn't an empty temptation for trouble.
Remember that as a successful career-person, you are an excellent role-model and your children are proud of you. Believe it or not, you are an inspiration to your children and their friends. Having a well-rounded life that includes a satisfying career -- and in particular, a career that serves others -- is an excellent example to them for their own lives. My father was an obstetrician , and was frequently late or absent from birthday parties, piano recitals, holidays. I never felt angry or jealous -- I knew he was doing something important and that he was there for someone in need. I was proud of his sacrifice and his accomplishments. Your children probably feel the same way, so don't feel guilty.

Jesse Joad

Associate Dean for Diversity and Faculty Life

Prioritize things in your life. Make a list identifying the things you always want to do. I run for an hour and a half a day, and I like at least seven hours of sleep per night. And I love my work. I play cello and participate in dog agility training with my border collie, but those pursuits are less important. If the choice is between dog agility or taking a student on rounds, I'd take the student on rounds.
Acknowledge that people need to pay attention to their life outside of work, so they can develop it to be what they want it to be. All faculty members can help us make a culture that respects that.

Would you like to offer suggestions of your own? Please send an e-mail message to Jesse Joad jesse.joad@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu or call (916) 734-2464.