Every job can put strain on home life and many workers may find it difficult to juggle their personal and professional spheres. In the last few years, this balancing act has become more difficult, with 56 per cent of people identifying work shifts as the top cause for hindering family time.
For dental practitioners, the responsibility of the job can have a detrimental impact – it’s well-established that burnout plagues the profession, inhibiting workplace satisfaction and impacting home life. However, spending more quality time with family and loved ones can help alleviate symptoms of stress, ensuring dental practitioners are confident and empowered to tackle each day as it comes.
Qualifying quality time
Quality time is defined as a period of time relaxing or doing activities that are enjoyable, and not worrying about work or other responsibilities. For quality time with the family, this means that everyone is engaged; no talking whilst scrolling on phones or other forms of multitasking. In the last five years, families are spending less quality time together – we collectively spend four hours fewer per month with our children, parents or siblings than we did five years ago. Further studies have found that of the time we do spend with family, only 44 per cent of that can be considered ‘quality’ because of how much multitasking is done in other people’s presence.
The average amount of time spent with family each day is 51 minutes. This equates to the same average time for getting ready for work and preparing food for the day, and is under half the 132 minutes that humans spend on social media every day. Running in tandem, though not necessarily in correlation, to the prevalence of social media and screentime, is a growth in anxiety, fuelled by a perfect storm of international crises, inflated costs and professional pressures. Among a survey of dental workers, 42.2 per cent placed themselves in the highest category of emotional exhaustion, highlighting the need for quality time spent with family and loved ones.
A healthy alternative
Time with family and friends can be an effective stress buffer against unhealthy coping mechanisms like smoking, alcohol and drug use. For those feeling overwhelmed, being active, taking control and connecting with loved ones can be a welcome distraction, one that rests the brain and provides the time needed to return with a more controlled, confident mindset.
There are also many physical benefits of spending time with friends and family; older adults with larger social networks have good episodic memory, enhanced cognitive functions and a lower allostatic load, ensuring a better state of psychological wellbeing. Moreover, family activities involving sports or exercise keep everyone fit and healthy, and are especially good for a child’s development.
Chill with the children
After work, homework and social media are the two biggest disruptors of family time. The rise of technology has brought people together – it’s never been easier to communicate with others around the world – but it has also made us less sociable, making it a big factor for the high levels of loneliness in the UK. Spending more time with family is not just beneficial for parents then, but also for the wellbeing of the next generation. In particular, spending time outdoors can establish deeper connections than time spent indoors, whilst sharing hobbies with your child can improve their self-esteem and promotes active communication.
For an unforgettable day out, that is fun for the whole family, the PCA England Legends – Clover Dental Match is a cricket extravaganza for everyone. Presented by Clover Dental Group, this cricket match pits an ex-England team against a talented pantheon of dentists. Taking place on August 22, 2025, the event also includes a Q&A with cricketing legends, great food and drink, a charity auction and a Bollywood Night, where music, dance and culture are whisked into one celebratory crescendo to mark the end of an action-packed day.
By finding a better work-life split that incorporates quality time with family or loved ones, dental practitioners can be more motivated and more confident in their daily workflow. As a way of reducing stress and feeling supported, spending valuable time with family is as much a benefit for them as it is for you.
References available on request.
For more information visit https://cloverdentalfitout.co.uk