EVENTS
Tees Business LIVE
Middlesbrough College
Achieving a decent work-life balance takes “ discipline ” but it can be done , guests at the latest Tees Business LIVE meeting were told .
During a Q & A session at Middlesbrough College ’ s STEM Centre , a panel of four business bosses discussed the pitfalls of balancing life at , and away from , work .
And while solutions ranged from cycling and running to taking a cut in hours , all agreed it wasn ’ t easy to do – but it is possible .
Rob Lankey , chief commercial officer for Middlesbrough-headquartered GB Bank , told the networking meeting , which was organised by Tees Business and sponsored by Middlesbrough College Group : “ It was drilled into you as you went through your management career that you had to sort work-life balance , but that creates a divide and almost friction between the two – it ’ s more about life balance .”
Phil Blewitt , Middlesbrough College Group ’ s assistant principal for engineering , construction and TTE Technical , admitted he ’ d “ always struggled ” with work-life balance .
He said : “ Despite all the advice I ’ ve been given , the books I ’ ve read and the online learning things I ’ ve done , it ’ s easy to talk about but hard to do .”
Anne Cowley , director of Stockton ’ s Baines Jewitt Chartered Accountants , admitted that until her 40s , she “ probably didn ’ t have a great work-life balance , but I was trying to build up my portfolio and I really enjoy what I do , so it wasn ’ t a bad thing really .”
Panellists – Guests at the Tees Business LIVE event heard from Rob Lankey ( GB Bank ), Anne Cowley ( Baines Jewitt ), host Bob Cuffe , Sophia Gowland ( The Petite Agency ) and Phil Blewitt ( Middlesbrough College ).
PICTURES BY DOUG MOODY
8 | Tees Business