Busy Dads…burning the candle at both ends?
by Rosemary Marchese
There’s no doubt that today there is a huge focus on the health of the working mother. With so many more women returning to work it’s no wonder that women are finding it hard to cope. Did you know that between 1983 and 2002 the proportion of families with dependent children with two parents working rose from 39.7 to 56.9 per cent (ABS various years)? But now let’s focus on the dads for a while…compared to 20 years ago the proportion of men working longer hours is higher, and climbing! So what impact is this having on the health of the working dad?
Most studies and discussions are pointing towards adverse outcomes for dads, including:
- increased risk of physical and mental health disorders
- difficulty balancing work and family life
- poor relationships with family members.
On top of all that children in families with dads working long hours are possibly more at risk of negative impacts on the emotional and intellectual development.
So are you one of these dads? Can you feel yourself getting more unfit, more stressed and more tired? Do you work long hours because you want to or because you ‘have to’? Today dads are often working longer hours for financial gain, fear of job loss and perhaps even just personal commitment to the job. In the long term working longer hours will have meant you have had less time for family, exercise, unwinding and sleep. All of these things can definitely negatively affect your life! Don’t get me wrong…there are definitely facts out there supporting long hours for some people. You may be working long hours for some positive reasons, such as:
- love the job
- avoiding rush hour home
- achievement of personal and work goals.
However at some point you need to reassess and ask yourself whether you are finding the balance between work and play. This will be different for everyone! Of course there are times where exercise just wont make it into your schedule formally (like going to the gym) but here are some other ways to fit physical activity into your day:
- walk to work or park the car further than usual and walk the rest of the way
- get off the bus or train a stop earlier and walk
- if you sit at a desk, get up regularly to grab a drink or have a stretch
- take your scheduled breaks and get out of the office
- do some exercise during your break (play soccer, go for a walk etc)
- walk the dog or stay back some mornings to walk the kids to school
- take the kids to sport and get involved in their training
- kick a ball around with the kids in the backyard
- if you stand all day (e.g. hairdresser) take regular walking and stretching breaks.
Whatever the hours you work, it’s time to reassess to make sure you are not burning the candle at both ends. If you ‘have to’ work the long hours you will have to be even more diligent with your schedule to make sure you fit in time for family, friends, rest and exercise!
Rosemary is a registered physiotherapist who has combined her expertise in health with fitness. She has over 15 years of experience teaching and consulting in the fitness industry. She is the co-author of the best-selling text book ‘The Essential Guide to Fitness: For the Fitness Instructor’, which was specifically written for those people wanting to start a career in the fitness industry. She is also Editor for Ultra Fit Magazine, which presents the fitness industry (experts and participants) up-to-the minute fitness industry research and workouts. For more information on Ultra Fit Magazine or Rosemary’s book, visit www.ultrafit.com.au.