The School of Health & Social Care

Occupational Therapy: Advice on a Healthy Balance of Occupations through the lifespan

Representing work by Year 1 students supported by Kirsty Stanley—Lecturer in Occupational Therapy

Baby/Toddler/School Age Child
(PBL group 1)

Play (solitary, with caregiver or other children), Structured hobbies, Exercise (Games and group activities), early education, eating and drinking, sleeping, developing skills in self-care (washing, dressing) (Hinojosa and Blount, 2004).

Baby (Julie)

Pleasure: Provides bond between child and mother, Provides comfort as the child is fulfilled, Provides a certain amount of nutrients so gives the child an overall sense of well-being.
Productivity: Provides the child with important antibodies against many kinds of diseases, Promotes growth of the nerves and intestinal tract, Contributes to more rapid weight and size gain, May improve immune system functioning.
Restoration: Helps the child to sleep after feeling fulfilled, After body feeling nourished the child is able to relax, Sensory comfort i.e. mums unique smell to the baby.

Pre-School Children
Pleasure:

Playing on the beach / in the park - Quality time, Fresh air, Fun/games, Social skills, Balance, Gross and fine motor skills, Spatial awareness
Time with grandparents / extended family - Self awareness, Love and affection, Understanding family relationships
Playing with friends - Social skills, Learning to share, Learning about others, Imagination, Independence

Restoration:

Bedtime Stories - Language development, Number skills, Increase vocabulary, Attention / concentration, One to one time
A good nights sleep – Rest, Growth and repair, Time for parents/ carers to relax, Independence
Enjoying family mealtimes - Good nutrition for growth and development, Learn good eating habits for life, Explore new tastes and textures, Family time

Productivity:

Going to playgroup - Make friends, Social skills, Variety of activities, Develop motor skills, Self awareness, Support for parent/carer
Creative play - Messy fun, Dexterity /manipulation, Imagination
Going swimming - Learn new skills, Coordination, Muscle development, Sensory input

Teenager/Young Adult
(PBL group 2)

Exercise (team sports, canoeing, gym), peer group activities, listening to music, watching television, developing skill in hobbies (music, dancing, painting, writing), extra-curricula groups, schoolwork, part-time work/first jobs, outdoor activities, developing personal relationships, sleeping, self-care (grooming) (Hinojosa and Blount, 2004).

Studying, Concentration and Stress Management (Sarah and Nick)

Concentration plays a vital role in doing well in studies. Many factors may affect concentration in teenagers; some of them are discussed below:

1. Fatigue: Today's teenagers opt for a different kind of lifestyle which includes partying with friends and involvement in other activities which hamper adequate sleep. Sleep deprivation and the resulting physical, emotional and cognitive effects is probably the most common cause for an inability to concentrate on one topic for very long.
2. Diet: Improper intake of food (type and time taken) can also cause a major health issue in teenagers.
3. Anxiety and Stress: With other things on your mind it will be difficult to concentrate. Teenagers often find themselves suffering from stress overload; peer pressures, school work, exams, career decisions. If this is not handled properly this can lead to physical illnesses and depression.
4. Boredom: This can result from a lack of interest or motivation to study.

To help avoid unnecessary stress and misery, teenagers could help themselves by improving their concentration skills. These could be developed in the following ways;

Creating a positive uncluttered space for study with a minimum of distractions.
Taking regular breaks and rewarding yourself for the progress you make. Positive affirmations.
Balancing study with enjoyable activities; hobbies and leisure pursuits.
Taking up activities which require concentration such as chess, crosswords and memory games.
Exercising regularly and getting plenty of sleep
Try to identify reasons for your worries and where possible solve them before studying. Talking about problems with friends or parents and family; a problem shared is a problem halved
Setting small goals making larger tasks more manageable

Diet (Stephanie)
A well balanced diet will help to promote health and wellbeing in teenagers. Many physiological changes occur in the body during the teenage years, including rapid growth and considerable gains in bone and muscle. During this time of rapid growth the primary dietary need is for energy, this is often displayed in a hearty appetite.

In an ideal situation the food given to teenagers should be rich in energy and nutrients. By providing calories in the form of sugary or fatty snacks can result in the nutrient intake being compromised. For this reason teenagers should be encouraged to eat a variety of foods from the other basic food groups -

Lots of starchy carbohydrates - bread, rice, pasta, breakfast cereals, chapattis, couscous and potatoes
Lots of fruit and vegetables - at least five portions every day
Two to three portions of dairy products, such as milk, yoghurt, fromage frais and pasteurised cheeses
Two servings of protein, such as meat, fish, eggs, beans and pulses
Low amount of fatty foods
Limit sugar-rich food and drinks

There are many other important dietary habits that are important during adolescence including:

Drink at least eight glasses of water a day.
Eat regular meals, including breakfast, as it provides many essential nutrients and can aid concentration during the morning. Choose a fortified breakfast cereal with semi-skimmed milk and a glass of fruit juice.
Avoiding too much caffeine.

One of the best ways to improve your diet is to get involved in preparing food. Cooking can make you more aware of what you are eating. As well as being fun it will prepare teenagers for living alone when they leave home or head off to university.

Time Management and Responsibility Changes in Development (Vanessa Tipton)
Adolescence is a period in which health habits are being formed, having a huge effect over the entire lifespan. Physical, social and cognitive changes are happening which require significant adaption. As a teenager experiences these changes the impact can cause stress and anxiety (Spruijt-Metz 1999). Avoiding psychological distress, unhappiness and dissatisfaction it is important to motivate teenagers to build up self esteem and this is achieved through activity (Smith 2003). Prioritising activities is important for personal health and well being.

Time management plans are useful tools to map out weekly activities and will help to take on personal responsibility to develop health and well being. Personal care is an important part of our everyday lives and lack of sleep, poor hygiene and poor eating habits contribute to lack of concentration and stamina and should be the main priority. Teenagers need to begin to learn to take responsibility of their own lives to prepare them for adulthood. Handling time successfully at this age means they are more able at managing work and university in the future. They should be encouraged to be involved in activities to build character and new skills, but to comfortably juggle activities and prioritise where necessary.

Examples of time management plans – choose one that works for you.

Time charts	A table showing activities on a weekly basis. Can show hourly changes or parts of a day but must be a full week to help to prioritise important activities. It can be creative and personal with diagrams or pictures to suit the individual’s character.
Lists	A written list of priorities, normally prepared in the morning and with boxes to tick when the activity is completed.
Planner books/Diaries	Record the activities which are required for each day. Look forward in the diary to plan ahead.
Calendars	A calendar showing the priority activities. Large spaces to be able to write everything in and marking off the activity when it is completed

Things to remember when time management planning
Simple format, it doesn’t have to be exhaustive or hard to understand.
The plan must be on view all the time to be able to study it regularly.
Not all the plans will work for individuals and therefore if a plan fails try new ways until you find the right plan for you.
Large activities work better if they are broken down into sections allowing breaks in between.
Juggling these activities can become very stressful so prioritise.
If you have a busy schedule ahead learn to say no. Demands of friends and society in general can cause stress and affect health and well being.
Mark off a completed activity to show you it is finished great for motivation and will help to focus on the next activity.

Mid-Age/Older Adult
(PBL group 3)

Working (developing skills in working), taking care of children/grandchildren/dependents, further development of hobbies/taking up new hobbies (cooking, gardening, crafts), community participation, volunteering, interest in politics, travel, religious activities, return to education, exercise (swimming, tai chi), rest and relaxation, managing diet (Hinojosa and Blount, 2004).

Pleasure: (Georgie)
- Sudoko: stimulates the brain, challenging, satisfying when completed.
- Board games with family: social time, relaxing, fun, company.
- Bowls: social, relaxing, quite active, friendly competition.
- Watching TV: easy, un-wind, not very demanding.

Productive: (Liana, Vanessa, Becci and Adam)
Productivity is a task that achieves a goal e.g. work. Productivity could involve reaching their optimum health and engaging in activities, such as exercise which help to maintain an optimum level of health. Furthermore deepening the bonds and understanding of family and work life.

Restorative: (Gemma, Jess, Tara and Amy)

Puzzles- keeps the mind active and relaxed, it requires cognition and fine motor skills
Sleeping- recharges the body, it’s a time for the mind to process information
Walking- a reviving and relaxing activity. It can re-energise the body and aid metabolism
Eating- provides energy and necessary nutrition for body. It is also enjoyable and can be sociable
Reading- it is relaxing and keeps the mind active. It can also be educational and inspiring
Watching television- peaceful and entertaining, it can be educational and thought-provoking
Listening to radio- entertaining and requires cognition and fine motor skills
Yoga/Pilates- de-stresses body and mind. It relaxes the body and releases tension of the joints. It encourages deep breathing and stretches that work on all muscles in the body.
Swimming- Water pressure takes all strain and weight out of the body. It is an aerobic exercise that does not require high fitness levels. It is a very peaceful activity that works all of the muscles in the body
Going to beach/ natural environment- a rejuvenating activity that calms the mind. The sea air is particularly good in aiding sleep due to the ion particles in the sea air that accelerate our ability to absorb oxygen and increase serotonin levels in the body
Horticulture- a satisfying activity that does not require great strength. It is peaceful and also productive and requires cognition and gross and fine motor skills.
Taking a holiday- a new environment for exploration. It is relaxing to leave the worries of life behind and acquaint oneself with a new culture and new people. The heat of the sun also releases endorphins in our body that de-stress and relax the body.
Cooking- a productive activity requiring cognition and fine/gross motor skills. It can be very sociable and satisfying to create the end product

References

Gisler, P. 2008. Time-Management Tips for Teens, Available from: http://school.familyeducation.com/teen/organization/41256.html
Hinojosa, J. and Blount, M-L. (eds). 2004. The Texture of Life: Purposeful Activities in Occupational Therapy. 2nd Ed. MD,USA: AOTA Press, 69-114.
Spuijt-Metz, D. 1999. Adolescence, Affect and Health. Hove: Psycology press Ltd.
Smith, K. 2003. Understanding Children’s Development. 4th edition. Blackwell Publishing.