We are excited to introduce our new special column, titled ‘Wellness Corner’ that hosts industry experts’ feedback, presenting briefly an overview of their lifestyle to motivate us with wellness tips and suggestions.
Our first guest is Dr. Tim Slingsby, Chair, Maritime Charities Group who highlights that getting enough rest and maintaining a healthy work-life balance are key aspects of wellbeing. When it comes to our industry, Dr Slingsby notes there are myriad of initiatives and guidance for seafarer well-being, but what matters is the true commitment to well-being from employers and industry. On board working conditions for seafarers can be optimised via changes to vessel design, contracts, scheduling, ability to communicate regularly with loved ones and so forth, he suggests.
SAFETY4SEA: What does ‘wellness’ mean to you? What do you do in your every day life to embrace wellness?
Tim Slingsby: Wellness is making decisions that support physical, emotional and mental health. Those decisions aren’t always easy, especially when there are times of work or personal pressure, but I suppose I start with physical health; getting out for a run or a bike ride helps declutter my thoughts and I hope it makes me more available to people around me!
S4S: What are the two things to do that can make you feel happy after a challenging day?
T.Sl.: This one’s easy for me, and is both a bit of a cliche and a privilege: time with my wife and our young family is a welcome distraction from any work-related challenges.
S4S: What is the most worthwhile wellbeing investment (in energy, time, money) you’ve ever made?
T.Sl.: Any time I buy a pair of trainers. And – genuinely – being curious. Pushing through natural cynicism and exploring new approaches or perspectives to well-being can be enormously rewarding.
S4S: What do you do to keep balance between your personal and business life?
T.Sl.: First, let’s recognise that I’m relatively privileged because I can make changes to maintain a balance that works for my family, my work and me. So, I seek work that – to my mind – makes the world a better place, and I will always prioritise my family.
S4S: In the last five years, what new belief, behavior, or habit has most improved your personal life?
T.Sl.: As our family has grown (we have four children), I think my personal life is enriched by their interests. Of course, fitting everybody’s interests and needs into the days and weeks is an added challenge
S4S: What would you like to change in the current maritime landscape with regards to wellbeing?
T.Sl.: There are good examples of supportive working environments, including changes first implemented amid the covid-19 pandemic. There’s a lot still to do. For example, there’s much more research needed to better assess and protect the well-being of those working in the maritime environment, as well as identify the interventions that actually work. In this space, we already know that long-term evaluations are very rare and there has been little appetite for systematically refining existing programmes. In the meantime, let’s retain the practical covid-related changes as the foundation of long-lasting structural improvements to well-being.
S4S: What wellness-promoting initiatives would you like to see in the workplace?
T.Sl.: There are a myriad of initiatives and guidance for seafarer well-being. To me, a healthy starting point is a commitment to well-being from employers and industry. On board working conditions for seafarers can then be optimised via changes to vessel design, contracts, scheduling, ability to communicate regularly with loved ones and so forth.
S4S: What is the one thing that you are feeling grateful at the moment?
T.Sl.: Any opportunity to sleep! I’m very aware that getting enough rest is one area in which my well-being could be much improved.
S4S: What are your hobbies/ favorite activities?
T.Sl.: I genuinely enjoy most sports, and being out and about in the countryside on a run, a bike ride or even an outdoor swim is a joy for me. Witnessing and learning about examples of great human endeavour is a source of inspiration
S4S: What is your personal motto?
T.Sl.: This actually goes back about twenty years. I was once told that we are guaranteed two days on Earth; the day we are born and the day we die. I asked “What’s today then?” and the response has rather guided me since; “Today is a celebration.”
The views presented hereabove are only those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of SAFETY4SEA and are for information sharing and discussion purposes only.
