FEBRUARY 11 — In today’s fast-paced world, women are often expected to excel simultaneously in their professional roles, family responsibilities, and social commitments. These overlapping expectations can make “life balance” feel elusive. Yet balance is not about perfection or equal time distribution; it is about intentional living and sustainable choices.
For many career women, especially in healthcare, balance is less about slowing down and more about sustaining momentum without compromising well-being. Women form a substantial proportion of the healthcare workforce and increasingly step into leadership and research roles, while still carrying significant responsibilities at home and within their communities. This dual commitment reflects strength, but it also requires systems that support sustainability.
Research shows that women frequently shoulder a disproportionate share of emotional and caregiving responsibilities even while maintaining full professional workloads. Over time, this imbalance can contribute to stress, burnout, and reduced well-being. Life balance, therefore, is not merely a personal aspiration but a workforce sustainability and public health issue.
This understanding of sustainability also shapes how we care for patients. In cancer management today, survivorship is improving, but survival alone is no longer the only outcome that matters. Many patients, particularly women, live longer after cancer treatment while navigating long-term risks such as heart failure, metabolic disease, and treatment-related complications. The same principle applies in both personal and clinical contexts: thriving requires balance.
Integrating heart and metabolic health into cancer care reflects a broader shift toward patient-centred, whole-person medicine. Treatments that save lives must also preserve long-term health, function, and quality of life. When clinicians consider cardiovascular and metabolic risks alongside cancer treatment, we support not only survival but sustainable survivorship. This mirrors the balance many women strive for in their own lives, continuing to move forward while protecting long-term well-being.
Balance is also dynamic. What feels manageable at one stage of life may shift at another. Early career demands, caregiving roles, research responsibilities, and leadership growth all require different forms of energy and presence. Recognising this fluidity allows women to practise flexibility and self-compassion rather than striving for unrealistic equilibrium.
Achieving balance does not mean dividing time equally between work and personal life. Instead, it requires clarity of priorities, conscious boundary-setting, and the willingness to adapt. As Herminia Ibarra observes, “Careers are not linear journeys; they evolve as people evolve”. A balanced life creates space for growth, recalibration, and redefining success without guilt.
Importantly, success should not be measured by exhaustion. Cultures of constant availability and overperformance can disproportionately affect women striving to demonstrate competence in demanding environments. Brené Brown reminds us that “Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves, even when we risk disappointing others”. Boundaries are not a lack of dedication; they are a strategy for longevity.
Workplace culture plays a critical role in enabling sustainable balance. Flexible structures, psychologically safe leadership, and recognition of caregiving realities allow women to remain engaged and productive without compromising their well-being. Organisations that support women’s balance benefit from stronger retention, healthier teams, and more resilient leadership pipelines.
As women continue to redefine leadership across healthcare, research, and beyond, it is equally important to normalise balance as a marker of strength rather than limitation. In cancer care, we increasingly recognise that the goal is not only to help patients live longer, but to help them live well. The same is true for the women who care for them. True success, whether in medicine, research, or leadership, should not be defined by chronic exhaustion but by purpose, impact, and sustainability. When women are supported to live and work intentionally, they remain engaged, resilient, and effective, strengthening not only their organisations but also the systems of care around them.
As we continue to champion women’s empowerment, let us also champion balance that honours individual journeys. Sustainable careers and sustainable health share a common foundation: intentional choices, supportive environments, and a commitment to long-term well-being.
A balanced woman is not one who manages everything perfectly, but one who lives intentionally and sustainably.
* Dr Mastura Mohd Sopian is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Clinical Medicine, Pusat Kanser Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Universiti Sains Malaysia and may be reached at [email protected]
** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
