What is work life balance? What does this phrase mean?
The answer’s in the name … right?
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, work life balance is “the amount of time you spend doing your job compared to with the amount of time you spend with your family and doing things you enjoy”.
But what does work life balance actually mean – for YOU?
There has been a lot of controversy, and judgment over the years about people’s working and living habits. People can be judged and criticised for working on late, or sending emails during the evenings and on the weekends, or on the flip side for taking a lunch break, and “shutting down” at 5pm – the end of their working day to leave work on time to go home to their families – despite that there may still be work to complete.
I recall in my earlier days of entering into the world of Occupational Health Nursing, it was during a senior management meeting where the head of an organisation openly made reference to me in that I had access to my emails from home, and as such, I should be able to respond in quick time to a specific query over that upcoming weekend. I worked full time during the week, I was not contracted to work weekends, and I had a young family as well as other commitments to consider. This culture was the norm where the expectation to always be available was commonly placed upon staff, especially those at management level.
That was over 20 years ago, but what became evidently clear to me during my time with this organisation was that the notion that we can’t get a fresh perspective from something we never step away from, and that time away from work allows the opportunity to engage in activities that improve brain function – such as sleep, exercise, and time with family and friends was entirely overlooked – from the top.
Although today there appears to be a much better understanding of the importance of getting a good balance between working and non-working life, these challenges and expectations do still exist, and the nature of human beings is such that we can very easily be sucked into a culture and learn poor habits ultimately seeing them as the norm.
In addition to the expectations from others of always being available and responsive, other challenges in achieving a good work life balance can include:
Time constraints caused by back-to-back meetings and appointments throughout the day
Fear of repercussions for not completing work “on time”
Self-expectations to perform and achieve
Lack of resources to support the work schedule
The pervasiveness of work given the ease and convenience of our constant connectedness
These challenges can cause people to feel pressured, low in mood, stressed, fatigued, and ultimately burnt out.
So how should achieving a good work life balance be approached?
The way in which a person works should take into consideration what works best for them, and the business, regardless of whether an individual works full time, part time, or on an ad hoc arrangement.
What is important to consider is that “balance” doesn’t necessarily mean “equal time to everything”. Some people may prefer to spend a little longer at work, and as long as there is a healthy and sensible reasoning and intent to this arrangement, and their physical and mental health and wellbeing is not being negatively impacted, then this is fine.
For others, it may be that they have identified that they are more productive in the evenings, when everything is much quieter and there are less distractions; or they may prefer to start their working day a few hours before the typical “hustle and bustle” begins to have that quiet time to concentrate. It may be that a person works best in the mornings, and then later in the afternoon / early evening – after having an extended break during the day. In this scenario, whilst there would need to be some basic safeguarding caveats in place such as lone working considerations for example, if this level of flexibility is amenable to a business, the notion of permitting an employee to undertake “spilt shifts” to establish a good work life balance that works for them may be the answer.
Simply, from an Occupational Health and Wellbeing perspective, at TJM Occupational Health and Wellbeing, we believe that in identifying how and when a person works best, this can have significantly improved outcomes on morale, happiness, retention, performance, and productivity.
It is however important to consider whether a situation has become a “convenience”, or is it a “balance”? An example of this may be that a person working from home has the opportunity to fill small gaps throughout their working day with personal tasks and activities, such as laundry, ironing, meal preparation, and running errands etc., which while this may relieve the pressure in getting the personal chores done, this leaves very little time for adequate down time / breaks / cognitive refresh. This situation could be described as a convenience, and if not effectively managed, this too can lead to people to feel pressured, stressed, fatigued, and ultimately burnt out.
So going back to the question, what does work life balance actually mean for YOU?
Ask yourself this – how many times have you worked for several hours without a break; or late into an evening? How many times have you juggled several tasks all at once, combining some personal chores into the mix? What happens when you notice that your cognitive function, or your keyboard or writing skills become a little sluggish? Perhaps you grab another quick coffee to give yourself a “boost”, however this boost is short lived, and that same old feeling quickly creeps back in. These are all signs that your body, and mind needs to rest, and that alternative more balanced stimulations should not be ignored.
Why not take a moment to think about you – regardless of what role you are employed to do, or what level of responsibility comes with your role, consider what works for you, and what doesn’t. It is of course important to consider that your work-life balance needs to be relevant to the business environment, however there is nothing wrong with looking at ways to re-jig things, both in your working and home life to suit the workings of your own mind, body and soul.
Try to create a balance that stimulates and meets your unique needs. Essentially, if you can find a combination that works best for you and the business, and one that gives you the maximum enjoyment out of life, it can generally be seen that you have achieved work-life balance.
What is important is getting that balance right – for YOU.
Please note: if as an employer you would like further information, advise and guidance on what work life balance means for your employees, and for your business, please do get in touch.
In its simplest terms, blood pressure is a measure of the force that the heart uses to pump blood around the body; it looks at the pressure of blood flow in the arteries.
The arteries are referred to as the vessels that transport blood from the heart to the brain, and to the rest of the body. We all need a certain amount of pressure to get the blood moving around our bodies, but it is important that the pressure is within a healthy range.
Blood pressure can naturally fluctuate throughout the day and night, and it can be variable from when we’re sitting, standing, or lying down. It is common for blood pressure to go up a little when we move about, and to accommodate these natural fluctuating occurrences, our arteries are normally fairly stretchy which means they can usually cope when blood pressure fluctuates. However, when the pressure flow is consistently high, the arteries lose their stretchiness, and this results in the arteries becoming stiff or narrow.
Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg) and is recorded as 2 numbers under the following terms:
Systolic pressure – the pressure when your heart pushes blood out
Diastolic pressure – the pressure when your heart rests between beats
As a general guide, normal blood pressure is considered to be between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg
High blood pressure is considered to be 140/90mmHg or higher
Low blood pressure is considered to be 90/60mmHg or lower
High blood pressure is medically referred to as Hypertension, and low blood pressure is medically referred to as Hypotension.
What causes high blood pressure?
In many cases, there isn’t a specific reason for a person developing high blood pressure; however, there are people who develop high blood pressure due to factors to do with their lifestyle – such as:
Age – as we age this can sometimes impact upon our vulnerabilities around developing high blood pressure – we become less active, less able, and our body’s metabolism naturally slows as we get older
Smoking and / or drinking too much alcohol
Poor diet – i.e., eating too much salt, and not enough fruit and vegetables and
Lack of exercise
Being overweight, (especially around the mid-section)
Exposure to excess and unmanageable stress
There are also hereditary factors that could be a cause of someone developing high blood pressure, and there some medical conditions that may result in what is referred to as “secondary hypertension” – such as kidney disease, diabetes, and a condition called obstructive sleep apnoea.
Medicines can also play a part on the effects of blood pressure, such as oral contraceptives and over the counter herbal remedies.
What are the Symptoms?
The most important thing to remember when thinking about blood pressure is that despite that more than 1 in 4 adults in the UK have high blood pressure, many have absolutely no idea that they have a problem with their blood pressure. Often there are no obvious symptoms. You don’t just simply look in the mirror and ”see” that you have high blood pressure, and this is why it is so important to get your blood pressure checked. In simply knowing that you have high blood pressure, this could prevent life-threatening complications like a heart attack or a stroke.
Symptoms that would warrant further investigation such as blood pressure checks may include:
Visual disturbances such as blurred or double vision
Headaches
Nosebleeds
Shortness of breath
Chest Pain
Dizziness
Low blood pressure is less common and doesn’t always cause symptoms; however, if symptoms are present, then treatment may be recommended.
Symptoms can include:
Light headedness or dizziness
feeling sick
blurred vision
generally feeling weak
confusion
fainting
If you get symptoms when you stand up or suddenly change position, you may have what is called postural hypotension, and a such, the best advise in this circumstance is to ensure that you get up slowly from sitting to standing, and that care is taken when moving from lying to sitting / standing position.
What causes low blood pressure:
Some medicines can cause low blood pressure as a side effect. It can also be caused by a number of underlying conditions, including heart failure and dehydration.
What to do:
If you have any concerns, or symptoms speak to your GP or practise Nurse. A blood pressure check is quick and simple. You can usually get your blood pressure checked via:
Did you know that if you’re 40 to 74 years old, it is recommended that you should have your blood pressure checked at least once every 5 years as part of the NHS Health Check – https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/nhs-health-check/
Further information regarding blood pressure can be found via:
For many (including me), the word “cake” alone is a mouth-watering, luring facet to many other stimulants that are perceived to create that feel good factor, and harmony and calm within.
Cake can typically be described as a sweet food and it is usually made by baking a mixture of ingredients such as flour, eggs, sugar, essence, and fats. A cake, in its many variations can be incredibly easy on the eye, effortlessly enticing its “prey” to take a step closer – not prey to be hunted and killed however, but simply to explore and unleash the many delightful emotions and feelings that are commonly associated with its make-up.
Cake is promoted positively in many celebratory situations such as wedding ceremonies, birthdays, and christenings. Cake also features in other less celebratory social events such as wakes, workplace meetings, and simply going to visit grandma. In fact, when putting on our “observation goggles”, cake seems to be EVERYWHERE, which due to my own love of cake, this for me is a huge bonus.
So what is it about cake that attracts us to take that step closer to devouring the delightful delicacies of its composition?
Let’s face it, for any cake lover pretty much all of our senses can be activated when it comes to cake! The visual look of the product, both in its inception as well as the end result can be incredibly appealing promoting lots of “mmmm’s” “ooooh’s” and “ahhhhh’s”; then there’s the sound of the mixture binding together as the product is being formulated – the gentle crack of the egg shells as the inner slowly trickles into the bowl, and the crunching of those sugar granules that are slowly ground down into a paste formation. The aromas of the ingredients, particularly during the baking stage stimulate the nasal cavity into wanting to explore more, and then the touch when testing the fluffy bounciness of the product leaves the finger tips tingling with anticipation for when you get to actually pick the cake up to eat it.
This brings us on to the actual taste – now if your anything like me, a finger dip here, and a finger dip there is a must during the cake formulation process, and despite that I am no longer in my childhood, I still like to lick the spoon and the bowl once the preparation process is complete. However, in bypassing the majority of the pre eat functions, (and I say majority because for most, the visual is always present), even in the absence of the other senses being stimulated, by simply accelerating to the taste element, this brings an array of exquisite and wonderful feelings and emotions.
Whilst this blog is not to profess evidential medical science, or research of any kind that advocates the consumption of cake, it is to highlight that overall, these “feel good” factors for cake lovers are not placebo effects; they are in fact very real.
For example, while Dietitian Kathy McManus, Director of the Department of Nutrition for Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital rightly points out that significant additional research to understand the potential mechanisms around consuming foods rich in carbohydrates (to include cake) is needed, there are several small studies that have been undertaken and of which indicate that foods that have a high percentage of carbohydrates help our bodies to increase the levels of the “feel-good” hormones (serotonin), and as such, indulging in a piece of our favourite cake is thought to improve our mind and body instantly.
Further, cake baking has been shown to improve symptoms of depression. The process not only stimulates all of the senses, it also allows an individual to take charge; cake baking takes care, precision and concentration to actively engage the process, with the end result demonstrating a sense of achievement and self-worth that depression often eats away at.
Whilst we do of course need to be aware of the fact that the sugar and fats involved in the constitution of cake is not overly conducive to our physiological health and wellbeing if taken in excess amounts, what’s not to overlook is the fact that cakes are typically made with milk, eggs, and butter, and so this makes them a great source of calcium and essential vitamins needed for bones and teeth health.
If like me, you like to indulge in cake, that’s fine! At the end of the day, it’s all about getting the balance right. Deprivation can result in over indulgence, and over indulgence can result in an array of health related problems. So by incorporating cake (or whatever your favourite “go to” food is) into a balanced meal plan, focusing on the portion size, the frequency, and the time of day where enjoyment of consumption works best for you, this is a sensible, balanced, and enjoyable approach.
Please note, the content of this blog is for information only, and should not be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor, or from any other relevant qualified clinician that you may be under the care of.