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With overflowing to-do lists, impending deadlines and fully packed daily schedules, having a work-life balance would seem difficult. But irrespective of the profession that you are in —entertainment, sports, medicine, it is important to prioritize all — career, family, personal life, and most importantly health. Shakti Conclave 2.0 organized in Bangalore discussed women and heart health, experts emphasized on the measures that can be taken to improve your work-life balance while not ignoring your health.
How Mary Kom managed it all?
A key deterring factor that drives women away from fitness is a time crunch.
Mary Kom, a six-time world champion and a mother of four kids says, if one can’t set up a fixed routine for exercise, squeeze in some physical activity whenever you get free time.
While most women put their careers in the backburner after marriage and motherhood, Kom went on to conquer newer horizons in her sporting career after marriage.
“I had bagged two medals before my marriage. Post marriage, I won four more medals,” says Kom.
Kom says that keeping fit through regular exercise and eating healthy have acted as a driving force for her professional achievements.
Even when she was pregnant and away from the boxing ring, she continued to be associated with boxing by training young boxers.
Heart healthy practices
Dr Sarita Rao, senior consultant, interventional cardiologist, director Cathlab, Apollo Hospital, Indore says, “For heart healthy practices, watch what you are eating and try to eat smaller portions, salads and green veggies. Get half an hour of exercise daily.”
Doing things that you like — dancing, singing, gardening, running or yoga — will help combat stress, she adds.
“The lifestyles patterns are changing. Nowadays, heart disease is catching everyone young. Everyone needs to go in for an annual health checkup. We need to keep our heart healthy. Know your numbers- cholesterol, blood pressure number and sugar are important,” she adds.
Don’t assume that all is well
Mandira Bedi, an actor and fitness influencer recounts experiencing some pain in the left side of the chest and immediately ringing up her doctor to probe if something was amiss.
“While I knew that it could be indigestion, I didn’t want to take a risk and got myself checked. My doctor prescribed an antacid, and I was all good,” says Bedi.
Bedi stresses that one must never take their health for granted and should always seek medical attention when they experience any form of physical discomfort.
“I do all my routine health checkups including my bloodwork and heart health every six months,” says Bedi.
Ensuring health while at work
While working, it would be very natural to get caught up in a task and forget to eat or even take a break, which are small things that can affect your health in the long run.
Taking the stairs whenever possible at the hospital is something Dr Ajit Mullasari, director of cardiology at Institute of Cardiovascular Disease at MMM Hospital, Chennai follows regularly. He also emphasizes having a good breakfast and a reasonably stable diet.
A healthy working environment can do wonders to your mental health too, says Dr M Jyotsna, professor and HOD (Retd.), department of cardiology, Nizams Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad. She says, “Maintain a good relationship, with your colleagues (friends). The major stress comes from competing and comparing with them. But if you can maintain these relationships, it can ease stress,” she adds.
Spending time with family is necessary too
Consciously separating work time and your time home can help leave behind any work-related stress within the work premises.
Dr Mullasari suggests, “Don’t take your work home and separate your profession from your home.”
But the technology infiltrated lifestyle can bring in slight complications here. Speaking at the panel discussion,
Dr Dharam Kumbhani, director of Interventional Cardiology and a professor of Medicine in UT Southwestern Medical Centre’s, United States threw light on the blurring lines between personal time and work. “With technology being omnipresent, we depend heavily on it, especially as we are also increasingly using artificial intelligence. Our phones are accessible 24/7, so are WhatsApp and emails.”
Dr Thomas Alexander, senior interventional cardiologist, KMCH Hospital, Coimbatore emphasizes that it’s important to realize, as you are building your career, your family is growing too. “You need to be conscious about that and set apart time to spend with your children.”
Fitness is a way of life
Bedi ensures she does physical activity every day, ranging from walking at least 10,000 steps, swimming for 45 minutes, playing squash, pickle ball, and running. “Exercise gives me the energy to keep going through the day,” says Bedi.
She says that what’s more important is, to stick to something that is sustainable, that you can do for a period, to keep yourself going. Give yourself small goals. And it’s not just about exercise. It is 30 percent exercise and 70 percent of what you eat.
Takeaways
Juggling between home and workplace can be challenging. If not managed well, it can potentially lead to ignoring health priorities. Experts opine that one must carefully divide their time for enough rest, exercises and ‘Me Time’ to ensure work-life-balance.
