A maximum write duration is determined for first and second heat-assisted write transducers of a data storage device. Exceeding the duration results in thermal degradation of the first and second write transducers. A request to write data to a heat-assisted recording medium is received. In response to a time to fulfill the request exceeding the maximum write duration, the data is divided into portions such that a respective writing of each of the portions does not exceed the maximum write duration. Writing successive ones of the portions to the heat-assisted recording medium involves alternating between the first and second write transducers.