Subjective Meaning of Time in Neoliberal Economies

Dance with the devil: Finding subjective meaning in our use of time in neoliberal economies TO CITE THIS PAPER PLEASE USE: Clouston TJ. 20187 Dance with the Devil: Finding subjective meaning in our use of time in neoliberal economies. 4th Occupational Science Europe (OSE) Conference: Meeting in diversity-Occupation as common ground , HAWK university, Hildesheim, Germany 7th-9thSept. Dr Teena Clouston, Cardiff University

Background and methods Aims of the study were to explore the lived experience and meaning of occupational balance for occupational therapists living and working in the UK Sample was across public sector Interpretive phenomenological analysis Large study so 29 participants For more details please read Clouston (2014, 2015) Dr Teena Clouston, Cardiff University

Findings Little autonomy or choice over how resources of time & energy were used in daily lives Sense that workload was intensified Increased sense of responsibility Driven to perform Conflicts between work and non work occupations Occupational compromises Lack of meaning and wellbeing in life Dr Teena Clouston, Cardiff University

Antithesis Occupational science: the use of time & energy to participate in meaningful occupations is believed to be integral to health and wellbeing Modern life, particularly in Western neoliberal economies: the use of time has a performance orientation What people do in time is measured in terms of its productivity and growth How we spend our time is a critical measure of social worth and economic security (Clouston 2015, p.16). Dr Teena Clouston, Cardiff University

Why is this happening? Neoliberalism is an economic model based on deregulated global markets Uses both human and naturalresources to best advantage to secure growth and power People who participate in paid work are increasingly pressured to exchange more and more of their personal resources of time and energy for productivity in work Non-paid occupations, including those that are freely chosen and personally meaningfully can be compromised in order to expend the necessary time and energy to achieve expectations in work. Dr Teena Clouston, Cardiff University

Why is this a problem? People how do not work are valued less than those who do Busyness has become a badge of honor (Gurshuny 2005, p.72) The opiate of the masses . a way of suppressing feelings and ideas that challenge the status quo or the market culture into which we have unwittingly slid (Hochschild 2008, p.89). Dr Teena Clouston, Cardiff University

Why is this a problem? Paid work is a fundamental and purposive activity that underpins self-esteem and personal identity; thus participation in work is important Arguably, its social value in neoliberalism is exaggerated and its links to wellbeing illusionary (Kahneman et al 2006) Promotes occupational compromise (Clouston 2014, p.154) over occupational integrity (Pentland & McColl 2008, p.136) Dr Teena Clouston, Cardiff University

Moving to a meaning orientation Return to meaning: knowing what your meaningful occupation is and why it is meaningful Making time for it in everyday life This is not easy needs a mind shift Dr Teena Clouston, Cardiff University

Transcend the discourse of performance and drive for productivity & reconcile yourself to that (not feel you have compromised) Value meaningful occupation and personal/social wellbeing Appreciate time for being, becoming and belonging as well as doing to achieve meaning and health & wellbeing Dr Teena Clouston, Cardiff University

This needs you to Slow the pace and calm the mind Live in the moment Share the load Understand yourself and your temporal coping strategies Dr Teena Clouston, Cardiff University

Temporal coping strategies? People who reconcile are often called downshifters or resisters Busy bees (I can do it all) Endurers (What will be will be) Deferrers (It will get better someday) Outsourcers (I ll get others to do it) Dr Teena Clouston, Cardiff University

Not easy but. Yet there is an inner sense of time - a back door buried deep within human consciousness, intimately associated with our sense of personal identity and our unshakeable conviction that the future is still open, capable of being moulded by our chosen activities (Davies, 1995, p. 276- 277). Dr Teena Clouston, Cardiff University

References Clouston TJ. 2014. Whose occupational balance is it anyway? The challenge of neoliberal capitalism and work-life imbalance. British Journal of Occupational Therapy 77,10, 507-15 Clouston TJ. 2015. Challenging stress, burnout and rust-out: Finding balance in busy lives. London: Jessica Kingsley Davies P (1995) About time: Einstein s Unfinished Revolution. London: Penguin. Hochschild A (2008) On the edge of the time bind: Time and market culture in C Warhurst, RE Eikhof & A Haunschild (Eds) Work Less, Live More? Critical Analysis of the Work-Life Boundary, Basingstoke, Hampshire, Palgrave Macmillan, 80-91 Kahneman D. et al. 2006. Would you be happier if you were richer? A focusing illusion. Science 312, 1908-10 Pemberton S. & Cox D. 2014. Perspectives of time and occupation: Experiences of people with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis. Journal of Occupational Science 21, 4, 488-503 Pemberton S. & Cox D. 2015. Synchronisation: Coordinating time and occupation. Journal of Occupational Science 22, 3, 291-303 Pentland W. & McColl NA. 2008.Occupational integrity: Another perspective on "life balance". Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy 75, 3, 135-8 Wilcock AA. 1999. Reflections on doing, being and becoming. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal 46, 1, 1-11 Dr Teena Clouston, Cardiff University

Contact CloustonTJ@cardiff.ac.uk @teenaclouston (#livinglifeinbalance) Blog/website https://teenaclouston.wordpress.com/ https://uk.linkedin.com/in/dr-teena- clouston-70595147 Dr Teena Clouston, Cardiff University