Why Driver Mental Health Matters

Why Driver Mental Health Matters

The HSE has reported findings showing at least half a million large good vehicle drivers experienced anxiety, stress or depression arising from their work in 2015-16. These stats are getting worse as time progresses. Currently, 30% of self-disclosed ailments at work within the transport and logistics sector are due to anxiety, stress and depression. To this day reporting mental illness comes with the risk of stigmatisation. 95% of workers suffering from mental illness who call in to report they are sick give other illnesses as the reason. Also, a majority of workers who are diagnosed with mental illnesses hide this from their employer with only 22% disclosing their diagnosis.

Why Is Mental Health Critical?

In the past, people have treated mental health as a taboo subject. You could not broach the subject of your struggles with mental health. It was seen as a weakness that you could not share. Progress is now being made with positive discussions and debate around mental health becoming a common thing. However, unless these conversations are brought to the forefront, the transport and logistics industry, specifically HGV will lose its large talent pool of drivers. This is adding to the fact that mental health-related issues use up £100billion in the UK logistics sector.

There are many factors that contribute to stress among HGV drivers. Odd working hours, long shifts, night shifts, tough traffic, strict deadlines, mental exhaustion and physical fatigue all play a part. All these will affect mental health on the job or spill over to home life. Limited time and flexibility to exercise mean the drivers lack one of the best alternatives to counter stress. This creates a difficult environment to work in leading to stress, anxiety and depression.

Gender also comes into play. It has been proven that men shy away from … Read More

Why Are An Increasing Number Of Marketing Professional Working From Home These Days?

Why Are An Increasing Number Of Marketing Professional Working From Home These Days?

The figure has risen by 8% since last year, and it is very likely that the number of marketers who work from home on a regular basis will continue to increase in future years.

Why exactly have an increasing number of marketing professionals started to work remotely, and why are marketing executive jobs so popular? As part of our 2019 Marketing Survey, we asked 1/3 of the respondents currently working from home what their major reasons were. The following is a more detailed look at the top reasons.

1. Avoid Commute/Travel Time

Avoiding commuting or travel time was the top reason that marketers gave for them working from home (WFH). A majority of the participants in our survey live in areas such as Oxfordshire, Essex, London, Hertfordshire, and Cambridgeshire. For those who live in these locations and having to commute for work into the capital, working from home allows them to avoid busy London traffic as well as train or tube delays. When city-based employers offer flexible working options such as WFH it increases their chances of being able to retain staff by improving the life/work balance for their employees who don’t need to be in the office physically on a daily basis. That is something that is evidently quite important. Our survey results reveal that a life/work balance was the third major reason why marketers are looking to leave the jobs they have currently.

2. Increased Productivity

Respondents told us that the second main reasons why they worked from home once a week at least was because they think they are more productive working at home. Given that many marketing positions have a creative nature to them and the strong argument that more flexible working conditions benefit creativity, having the ability to work remotely with fewer distractions is something … Read More

Here Are 6 Useful Lessons In Colour That Will Change The Way That You Decorate

Here Are 6 Useful Lessons In Colour That Will Change The Way That You Decorate

His massive rise, which is due partially to his ways with colour that are fearless, has made Patrick Mele a designer you should be watching. He proclaims that he loves bold statements and he is never afraid of colours. He also states that he enjoys rich hues. He goes onto say that he doesn’t really work with tertiary or muted colours. He prefers crisp black, crisp white and crisp vibrant colours for his overall statements.

So How Does He Do It

We were lucky to get a small preview on his most current design project, and we asked if he could decode his choices in colour, for each room, and then the lessons just started to flow.

1. Think In Colour Families

At first, the entryway to the home appeared to be a colour riot, but after speaking to Mele, you will start to realise that he worked with a very tight palette. He starts off by saying that he wanted lots of white, followed by a combination of orange and blue. The secret? To work with the different hues in each of these 2 colour families. The blues that he used included navy, Delft, turquoise, and cobalt. And with the orange, he used grapefruits, tangerines, and corals. These are rich hues that are not muted.

2. White And Blue Always Work

When it comes to Mele, using the combination of white and blue can be compared to wearing blue jeans with a white T-shirt. This colour combination is classic when it comes to interiors and it can also be dressed down or up. Mele used a blue grasscloth, denimlike shade in the living room which added texture and colour, which really helps the wingback-chairs and silhouettes from all the white accessories to really pop. The effect overall is casual … Read More

Tips To Avoid Burnout For Caregivers

Tips To Avoid Burnout For CaregiversIf you are the primary care giver to a loved one, you know the toll that it can take on you physically, mentally and emotionally. Even though caring for someone can be very rewarding, it can also be very stressful and without the proper knowledge, support and skills, you are at a higher risk of burnout.

Here are some facts that you need to be aware of if you are providing any type of care for another person:

Hard Work, No Pay

Caring is considered to be the largest unpaid profession in the UK. Not only is there no financial reward but the job includes tasks that are often overwhelming such as taking care of personal and home cleaning and hygiene, meal preparation, managing and administering medication, driving to and from medical appointments and much, much more.

Extreme Stress

One of the greatest factors affecting care givers is the stress that is involved with the task. They often neglect their personal emotional, mental and physical needs in the act of providing for the emotional and physical needs of another.

However, the mental and emotional stress often have the greatest impact. It is estimated that up to 40% of caregivers working with dementia patients are likely to experience elevated stress levels and/or depression at some point. As a result, they are also more likely to require antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications and therapy by a qualified medical practitioner in order to prevent extreme depression which is the inevitable result without the proper treatment. Looking after your own health and overall well being is therefore essential as a caregiver.

Strategies For Coping As A Caregiver

1. Ask For Help

It is often easy to fall into a trap where you try to do everything yourself. Ask friends and family to assist in taking care … Read More

How to Easily Plan and Get Prepared For a Diving Holiday

How to Easily Plan and Get Prepared For a Diving HolidayNow that those long-awaited holiday months are approaching, you may want to get started with planning all the fun and exciting diving adventures that you would like to go on. No matter where you plan to go or how many details you have already figured out, we want to provide you with some useful suggestions on how to have a successful experience wherever you go.

You should start the planning process off on the right foot by figuring out what type of holiday you are going on. Do you have a lot of diving experience and want to go on a break where you will spend most of your time driving or do you plan on doing other activities while finding some extra time for diving in the middle of everything? You should think about what you truly want to do while on holiday, for example Kota Kinabalu diving in Borneo.

Celebrating Something Special

Plenty of people go on holiday to celebrate something special, such as their birthday, wedding anniversary, or even their honeymoon. Going on an adventurous dive with your partner is a great way to celebrate your nuptials and have an amazing time together. Going to Sabah during the summer months for a dive is one of many things you can do. You can benefit from planning ahead of time.

Going on a Learning Experiences as a Beginner

Do you have an interest in diving but never actually experienced what it is like? If it the kind of thing you would love to do, PADI Discover Scuba Diving Experience is something to consider trying. The course lasts for a day and introduces diving to beginners. PADI even offers a four-day course that is known as the Open Water Diver Course. During the four-day course, you can learn how … Read More