Dr Lauren Evans is on a mission to show people that they can have it all. She went from being a burnt-out doctor to living life on her own terms and now she wants to share her methods with others.

The British dermatology specialist doctor grew up in Switzerland but returned to the UK to study medicine at Glasgow Medical School.

“There are so many aspects that I love about being a doctor: working with a huge array of people, working as a team, helping people, the satisfaction that you've hopefully had a positive impact in people's lives and helped them; but I wasn't in love with the work-life balance and always had a part of me that wanted to have other sides of me other than purely medicine,” she says.

A multi-talented business owner

Becoming a mother redoubled her enthusiasm for a more mixed career, one which would allow her to spend more time with her family. She started a few side projects, like setting up an aesthetic clinic and hosting property investment networking events.

Dr Lauren says she never intended to leave medicine; “I just wanted to be able to work as a doctor more on my terms, and for the passion, not for the pay.”

Unfortunately, bullying in the NHS department where she worked started to affect her mental health. She realised her side projects offered her better communities, more positivity and better personal growth than her role as an NHS doctor, so she left medicine to focus on her other projects.

One such project is Aesthetics Glasgow, where Lauren offers services like dermal fillers and micro-needling through to skincare advice and healthy living plans. She holds a diploma in Personal Nutrition and likes to incorporate nutritional advice into her consultations.

Prioritising wellness

Health and fitness has long been an interest for Dr Lauren. Now that her work schedule is so flexible, she’s more able to pursue her passions but, even when working as a busy NHS doctor while caring for her two young daughters, she prioritised wellbeing and fitness.

She says her biggest tip for doctors is to carefully schedule your time.

“Don't just have things on your to do list. Get a full week-to-view diary, and block out your non-negotiables like work and family time. You'll be surprised by how much time is left if you're honest with yourself – even when working crazy shift hours. Trust me, I started two businesses whilst pregnant with my second daughter, and had shifts all over the place.

“Then schedule in exactly what you want to do in the spare time blocks – for example, gym, meal prep, home workout, etc. then commit to it like you would a shift. You'll also be surprised by how much you can get done in the hours after work if you cut out TV. Even spending 20 minutes after work each day working towards your goals compounds over time.

“Second tip is to delegate where you can and get expert help. For example, can you get a PT who can not only keep you accountable, but can help you see results faster? Can you get prepped meals delivered? Can you get a cleaner or a gardener which can help you free up time that you can put towards your goals or hobbies?”

Burnout and compassion fatigue is common in the medical industry and Dr Lauren says she has seen a lot of this.

“This is obviously not the case amongst all doctors, but I believe it's happening at an increasing rate. A lot of the profession is being held up by the good will of doctors, nurses, and everyone involved – often going above and beyond what they need to do. The work load and complexity of patients is increasing. And having experienced so much personal development, leadership skills, and mind-set work out with the NHS, my experience is that this isn't being integrated within the NHS as much as it should.”

Dr Lauren’s routine for better mental health:

1) Have a good morning routine – set your intention and focus for the day (this includes goals, a vision of what you want to achieve, tone and energy for the day). Meditation is also amazing (though I'll be honest and say I don't do this daily, just when I feel like things are getting on top of me).

2) Have a project or a hobby you can work on that's just for you – the key is being able to see progress in it. It's so satisfying!

3) Fuel yourself well – in terms of what you put into your body as well as what you put into your mind: good foods, hydration, mind-set reading or podcasts, social media, and who you surround yourself with.

Find out more about Dr Lauren via her Instagram profile: @drlaurenevans – she says she’s read lots of books on positive mind-set and starting a business and is happy to recommend great reads and advice to other doctors.

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