Over the years, I've taken a number of steps to ensure that I maintain a healthy balance between work and the rest of my life, and it hasn't always been easy. I've been married for 18 years, and my wife and I each came with a small child from a previous marriage. Our children are both grown now and onto lives of their own, which makes time at home oddly quiet. We're both employed in the veterinary field, and at the same practice for more than 16 years, which adds to the difficulty of separating business from pleasure.

I'm deeply involved in our community, serving my eighth year as a City Councilor, and I stay involved in many nonprofit organizations. For more than 20 years I also coached youth baseball in my spare time, which has always been my first love. We live in an area ripe with recreation, so short vacations are helpful. A long weekend at the Oregon Coast, the Seattle area, or the beautiful Bend, Ore., summer and winter recreation areas offer the perfect diversion from work-related stress.

About two years ago, however, I discovered (or rediscovered, really), an invaluable way to channel my energy—writing. The http://dvm360.com/community pages have provided me with the opportunity to blog (something I'd never done before) about work, my personal life, and the funny things that make each day unique. Other times I'll write offline only for myself. These writings may be things that no one will ever read, and that's no less critical to my mental health. I admit that it means a lot to me personally when someone reads and enjoys something I've written. But beyond that, I truly value the opportunity to use writing as an outlet just for myself.