My 5–9 after the 9–5

Research suggests that work-life balance is “a cycle, not an achievement” and requires assessing and redefining depending on circumstances in life and work at a particular time. 

This balance will not look the same for everyone, and will change for a person depending on different times in their life, but is an important way of supporting personal wellbeing.

OT asked three optometrists in the first years of their qualified lives to share how they spend their evenings after busy days in clinic.

Holly Leitch

Holly Leitch, optometrist at Urquhart Opticians, an independent practice in the West of Scotland, qualified in 2022

5.30pm

I usually finish at closing time, around 5.30pm. One of the perks of working in Eaglesham, is that I live just a five-minute walk from the practice, so my commute is wonderfully short and stress-free. On the days I’m based in our Ayr location, the journey is a bit longer, around 35 to 40 minutes by car. That drive gives me a good opportunity to decompress. I’ll usually listen to my latest audiobook to unwind on the way home.

6pm

The first thing I do after getting in the door is usually dinner. It’s top of my list after a busy clinic. I prep my meals in advance at the start of the week, so I don’t have to think about cooking when I get home. This means I can eat around 6pm and then move straight into whatever I’ve got planned that evening. I love a good pasta dish. It’s quick, filling, and versatile. My go-to options are usually seafood or chicken pasta, especially with a creamy sauce. It’s the perfect comfort food after a long day.

6.30pm

My evenings tend to be pretty active. I usually attend a spin class a couple of nights a week. I’m also involved in Young Farmers, which has a great social side to it, with regular meetings and events that get me out and about. Between that and occasionally throwing on my wellies to help my fiancé, who is a farmer, out on the farm when needed, I’m usually never short of something to do. Herding cows or sheep isn’t your typical after-work activity, but it definitely keeps things interesting. Right now, a lot of my spare time is going into planning our wedding, which is another big but exciting project.

Holly Leitch

Holly finds herself helping her fiancé out on the farm after work

7pm

I’m currently completing the final module of the independent prescribing (IP) course at Glasgow Caledonian University. I started it in September 2024, just over two years after qualifying. It felt like the right time. I’d had a bit of a break from studying post pre-reg, but was still in the mindset to take on further learning. The course is mostly online, which makes it easier to fit around my work schedule.

With IP becoming a standard part of the undergraduate curriculum now, I think it’s really important to stay up-to-date and keep pushing myself professionally. Having flexibility in my evenings, and a very supportive fiancé, definitely helps me stay on track.

8pm

One of my favourite ways to relax is going for a short walk. It helps clear my head and signals that the day is slowing down.

9.30pm

I usually start winding down around 9.30pm, once I’ve finished any studying or evening activities. I always do my skincare routine before bed, and lay out my outfit for the next day so that my mornings are stress-free. I try to keep a consistent bedtime and avoid any work-related distractions in the evening, so I’m usually in bed by 10.30pm.

What approach do you take to finding balance after work? How important is this to you?

Work-life balance is something I take seriously. Living and working in the same village can make it harder to draw a line between work and personal time, but I’ve set clear boundaries that really help. For example, I don’t have access to any work systems or emails once I leave the practice, so when I’m done for the day, I’m truly done.

Holly Leitch

Spin classes form part of Holly’s weekly routine

I’ve found that managing your time well during the day so that you can leave on time, is one of the most important parts of maintaining balance. Once the clinic closes, I make the most of my evenings. Whether I’m exercising, studying, planning the wedding, or chasing sheep on the farm, I try to make sure work isn’t the only focus in my life.

I try to make sure work isn’t the only focus in my life

Akshay Shah

Akshay Shah, resident optometrist at Moorfields Eye Hospital, qualified in 2023

5pm

I finish at 5pm and it usually takes me about an hour door-to-door. I live in north west London and work in central London, so I use the underground. What I like about the commute is that it gives me time to switch off. I tend to listen to music or a podcast. I’m into musical theatre, so I’ll usually listen to interviews and learn what shows are out at the moment. That is how I book shows for the year. Hercules the Musical UK opened recently and I have tickets to see that soon.

6.30pm

The first thing I do when I get home is get changed out of my work uniform and into something more relaxing. I like to have my dinner quite early so I have more free time in the evening. So I’ll eat around 6.30pm.

7pm

The biggest thing I am spending time on at the moment is studying. I’m doing a Master's in advanced clinical practice in ophthalmology. As part of that, I’ve completed my professional certificate in medical retina and I’ve just finished my exams for the higher certificate in glaucoma. I have another two years of this part-time Master’s, so most of my evenings during term time are studying and working towards qualifications.

I started it last year and it has been going really well. I’ve definitely grown in confidence in the last year and a half. It was nice to have a break between finishing pre-reg and going into studying again. It gave me a couple of months to start working independently before starting the course and getting more experience and knowledge.

I write all my notes, draw and scribble on my iPad. I find it easier to work this way and like that I can make printouts. I enjoy spending time highlighting and colouring to make the notes look nice. I find it helps me solidify what I’m learning.

Try not to take the day to heart

8pm

I have recently started wall climbing. I really enjoy it. It’s something to concentrate on and you get a sense of achievement when you reach the top of the wall.

If I’m feeling creative, then I’ll try to find an outlet. My go-to at the moment is learning to use a sewing machine. So far, I’ve taken an old pair of jeans and upcycled it into a bag to carry my equipment in. I’m now thinking about designing a case for retinoscopy equipment with pockets to neatly organise my things.

Akshay Shah

Akshay enjoys creative outlets in his spare time

10pm

When I’m studying, my limit is 10pm because after that I don’t think I can process much more. At this point I close the book, get into pyjamas, and watch TV or a movie. Or reaction videos – there is something about watching other people react to something you’ve seen.

Caroline Ross

Optometrist Caroline Ross divides her time between working in domiciliary across the west of Northern Ireland, and in a High Street practice in Letterkenny, County Donegal, qualified 2022

5pm

I typically get home from my domiciliary job about 5pm, which leave me time to do my calls, referrals, and prep for the next day. Since there is a lot of driving in this job, if I’ve spotted an interesting optometry podcast, I’ll tune in. Recently, I’ve also started listening to audiobooks: I’ve just finished Jung Chang’s Wild Swans and now I’m in the middle of Frank Herbert’s Dune, which I’m thoroughly enjoying. The commute to and from the High Street practice depends very much on the traffic – I’m usually home about 6.30pm, so about an hour.

6.30pm

I change out of my work clothes into casual wear straight away. It’s the way I’ve found to tell my body: ‘The workday has finished,’ especially as I use my home desk to finish the admin for my domiciliary role.

I’ve recently started a guided workout routine, so I often head straight to the gym which is about a 20-minute walk away. It has to be said, though, that I often cheat and take the car, which is a bit awful – but there is a hill.

For dinner, if I’m in a rush, I love the packs of tortellini from the supermarket with a simple cheese sauce and plenty of pepper. If I have more time, I like to have gyozas as they are therapeutic to make.

7pm

I began learning British Sign Language (BSL) when I moved in September. It’s challenging but engaging. I am passionate about everyone being able to access the same standard of healthcare.

I am aware that I won’t be using the skill every day on the job. However, it recently came into use with a domiciliary patient. There was an interpreter, and the patient’s face lit up when she saw I signed back. I recently attended a paediatric course as part of my Master’s at Cardiff University, and some of the patients there used Makaton. So far, the BSL has been most useful in noisy environments so I can communicate with my husband.

I play for the Derry City netball side, usually twice a week. It was the side’s debut this season and we’re being promoted next year. It’s been a great way to meet new people and continue playing; I have a lifelong love of the sport. At some point in my coaching career, I’d love to take on a mixed/men’s side to make the sport more inclusive.

During the off-season over the summer, I’ll be taking up Gaelic football to keep fit and meet new people. I’m currently rubbish at it, but it’s a social team and they don’t seem to mind. They train one night a week and have a tournament every-other Saturday where they visit or host other local teams for a ‘Blitz.’

The patient’s face lit up when she saw I signed back

8pm

I’m currently studying towards a Master’s in Clinical Optometry, which I try to contribute towards in my free evenings. Striking the work and study balance with a full-time job is challenging. Being able to complete it as a part-time student is the only way it’s feasible for me, and I find the topics studied really helpful.

At the moment, I am organising a mixed charity netball tournament after the success of the event last year and demand from the players. In university, I raised money for a couple of homeless charities, and I have witnessed the rise of rough sleepers in my home community, so I chose a local charity for this year’s tournament – we will be raising support and awareness for Homeless Pembrokeshire.

9pm

To wind down at the end of the day I find plonking myself on our sofa usually does the trick. I like playing piano from time to time. If I remember, I do some stretching – working in domiciliary has illuminated how important long-term mobility and strength is to me.

Read more

Using British Sign Language in practice

Clare Pearce, optometrist and clinical director at Pearce & Blackmore Opticians shared how she uses BSL in practice