Livability just released their “Top 100 Best Places to Live” 2016 rankings for small to mid-sized cities. Every city has something to offer, but the top ten share a particular commitment to that often elusive work/life balance we all seek. Balance can be especially elusive if we view our work life and our non work life as two equal and distinct entities. In reality, our lives are made up of multiple components, like slices of a pie. No two people share exactly the same vision of what “balance” means. At times our work has to take precedence over our family and vice versa. Trying to achieve equality may feel like you have taken on another full time job! Instead, career experts suggest we think of work/life “balance” as work/life “blend”. That concept allows us to be flexible with the time we allot to each arena, and less judgemental of our efforts to achieve certain goals. Technology has helped us “blend”, by providing access to our work and non work lives in real time. For health care professional working long hours, this capability has been a godsend.

Work/life balance is also influenced by developments beyond our control. A stronger economy and ACA, for instance, are fueling a higher demand in the healthcare sector. In turn, this has meant an uptick in turnover among older professionals, opening up positions that had been closed for years. A competitive market has incentivized health care employers to review and revise their work environments vis a vis work/life issues. All of these developments are good news for healthcare professionals where workers nearing retirement age can actually contemplate retiring completely, working part-time or moving to smaller underserved communities. Nowhere have these trends been more evident than in the field of nursing where demand is higher than ever and turnover has been increasing steadily. Looking for a rewarding position in nursing with exclusive employers who take work/life balance seriously? Then contact Centra today for great opportunities nationwide in communities that will make your own personal list of top places to live!