Special Sections

10404 Soquel Drive, Aptos • aptos-creeksidepets.com Call 831.688.4242 to schedule an appointment Aptos-Creekside Pet Hospital is a full service general practice for dogs & cats. Along with preventative care, our DVM's have a variety of interests and training. Dr. Elizabeth Martin's special interests include dermatology and pain management. Dr. Molly Tackabury enjoys internal medicine and geriatric pets. Dr. Amanda Blom's special interests include metabolic diseases, parasitology and dentistry and Dr. Katie Volat has special interests in dentistry and geriatric preventative medicine. These four women along with hospital manager Shelley Morris and a professional team of compassionate receptionists, veterinary assistants and technicians welcome you to our veterinary practice! Aptos-Creekside Pet Hospital was voted Best Pet Hospital in Santa Cruz County in 2019 and 2020 Readers Choice Awards. L-R: Drs. Molly Tackabury, Katie Volat, Elizabeth Martin, Amanda Blom & Hospital Manager, Shelley Morris The evolution of women's employment Women have made great strides in various industries over the last several decades. Despite those strides, women still face many obstacles in the professional arena, including the gender pay gap. Business Insider re- ports that the median full- time, year-round female worker made just 81.6 cents for every dollar her male counterpart made in 2018. Furthermore, the salary resource PayScale indicates research shows that the uncontrolled gen- der pay gap has decreased by just $0.07 since 2015. Though the pay gap must be addressed, women have made strides unrelat- ed to compensation. For example, a report from the U.S. Department of Labor released in January 2020 indicated that 95 percent of the net jobs added in December 2019 went to women. At the same time, women held just over half of all payroll jobs in Amer- ica for only the second time in the country's history. The first period was during the Great Recession, when lay- offs predominantly affected male workers. According to NPR, the growing number of women on payroll could reflect a long-running evolution away from male-dominated industries toward the service side of employment, where women seemingly have an advantage. However, this may not be the only reason why women had been slowly edging out men prior to COVID-19. The popular social media network and career re- source LinkedIn analyzed more than 20,000 job ap- plications on the job-hunt- ing site Movemeon back in 2016. Some trends emerged during that anal- ysis. Women were more likely to be invited for an interview after applying to a job, but they were also performing better at those interviews. Data indicated each application made by a woman was 35 percent more likely to result in a female hire compared to a man. Furthermore, women viewed 20 percent fewer jobs than men and were still finding success getting hired. The research indicated men were com- peting more for jobs but being hired less often. An area where men still excel regards getting recruiters to open their social media/job-hunting profiles. In 2019, Linke- dIn indicated recruiters were 13 percent less likely to click on a woman's profile on the site when she showed up in a search, and 3 percent less likely to send a woman an InMail after viewing her profile. To combat this bias, more companies in the future may implement hiring that removes key identifiers like names and photos from candidates' applica- tions to judge applicants solely on their merits. Despite the advances women have made in the professional arena, the United States Department of Labor indicates that females accounted for the overwhelming majority of all job losses in December 2020 due to the pandem- ic's ongoing effect on the economy. The National Women's Law Center says that, since February 2020, women have lost a net 5.4 million jobs due to the economic fallout from the pandemic. Further analysis of women's mark on the em- ployment sector may be skewed until the economy recovers from the pan- demic. But while the pay gap needs to be addressed, women have made great strides in other areas. Juggling a family and a thriving career is no small task. It's easy to become overwhelmed when faced with responsibilities at home and at the office, and it's even easier to fall victim to a work-life im- balance. Such an imbal- ance can have troubling short- and long-term consequences. More than 40 percent of working profession- als who were recently surveyed by the United Kingdom-based Mental Health Foundation noted that they are neglecting various aspects of their life because of work. The MHF notes that such an imbalance can make professionals more vulnerable to mental health problems. In fact, the same survey found that more than half of all workers who work long hours feel irritable, while 27 percent acknowledged feeling depressed. Various strategies can help working profession- als overcome the negative side effects of work-life imbalance. In addition to exploring ways to work fewer hours and find more time for their families, professionals who feel their life lacks balance can seek ways to overcome the stress associated with such an imbalance. Meditation is one such option. What is meditation? The Mayo Clinic notes that meditation dates back thousands of years. Modern meditation often aims to help people relax and reduce stress. When meditating, people focus their attention as they attempt to eliminate jumbled thoughts. That can be especially valuable to adults who are feeling overwhelmed by their many personal and profes- sional responsibilities. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health notes that there are many types of meditation, but most require four common elements: · a quiet location to medi- tate where distractions are limited · a specific, comfortable posture · something people can focus their attention on while meditating, such as a set of words or an object · an open attitude How does meditation benefit the mind and body? Meditation advocates note that the practice can provide a sense of inner peace and help people rebalance their lives. That can pay dividends for both physical and mental health. The NCCIH notes that evidence suggests medita- tion can help reduce blood pressure. High blood pressure has been linked to both heart disease and stroke. A small study by the NCCIH also found that a form of meditation known as mindfulness-based ther- apy for insomnia helped reduce instances of chronic insomnia in adults. According to the NCCIH, a 2013 review of three studies suggested that med- itation may help slow, stall or even reverse age-related changes in the brain. Adults confronting a work-life imbalance may feel as though they don't have the time to address their concerns in a healthy, effective way. Meditation need not take up much time each day, but it can be an effective tool in the fight against work-life imbalance. How meditation can help combat work-life imbalance Women In Business

• Cover