According to Dentistry today (2020), half of the dentists 50% are dissatisfied with their work life balance. How can we assist them to have a positive work life balance? One may ask what is the difference between a positive work life balance and a negative work life balance? Personally it is having the flexibility to manage time between your work and your personal life.

It is this lack of certainty and the fear of what might happen next which is responsible for much of the increase in anxiety and stress. This is where mindfulness can help. Mindfulness is about becoming more aware of what is going in your mind and being able to manage it better.

With this industry still being very male-dominated, we also need to remember that men are three times more likely to commit suicide. Figures like that pose the question as to why more isn’t being done to tackle this silent crisis of mental health in construction UK.

As humans we are cyclic beings, like the rest of nature; and as cyclic beings we are not meant to stay the same. We know that change is scary. It is uncomfortable. And the challenge is to being comfortable with being uncomfortable.

There are many people who are very burnt out and I recently spoke to someone who is intending to take time out of the workplace to recover. As the saying goes, ‘They who fight and run away live to fight another day.’ But that’s the point, it’s not giving up the fight whatever that represents. It’s regrouping, refreshing and recovering.

Do you feel overwhelmed? What do you think is causing this overwhelm - running your own business, feeling as if there are not enough hours in the day, financial pressure, not having enough time for yourself? The truth is: if you THINK about all the things you have to do, you will FEEL overwhelmed. So that is what you experience in that moment.