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Are You Working Yourself to Death

Written by: Lorraine Pirihi

Article Overview: A few years ago one of my clients felt a tingling in his finger. Being a workaholic he didn't have time to pay too much attention to it. After all he had meetings booked all day and they were more important than a tingle in his finger. He was about to leave home, then collapsed. Luckily for him, there was another person in the house and they called the ambulance. John had suffered a stroke. The warning signs were there all along. He smoked, was 30kg overweight, his diet was poor and exercise was spasmodic. He worked long hours and was under enormous pressure. Much of the pressure was due to John's organisational skills.

Are You Working Yourself to Death

A few years ago one of my clients felt a tingling in his finger. Being a workaholic he didn't have time to pay too much attention to it. After all he had meetings booked all day and they were more important than a tingle in his finger. He was about to leave home, then collapsed. Luckily for him, there was another person in the house and they called the ambulance.

John had suffered a stroke. The warning signs were there all along. He smoked, was 30kg overweight, his diet was poor and exercise was spasmodic. He worked long hours and was under enormous pressure. Much of the pressure was due to John's organisational skills.
He was a poor delegator and had difficulty saying 'no'. Planning was something he did if he had the time (which meant he never did). Oh, and by the way, I forgot to mention he was also divorced!

Up until the time of his stroke, John had been making progress through being coached, however he wasn't making enough consistent effort, particularly around his health. He was a disaster waiting to happen and it did happen. John was 43.

Fortunately John has survived, but what a way to have a 'wake up' call. He's definitely paying attention now and making himself the no. 1 priority in his life. He had four weeks off initially and then slowly eased back into work.

After that event he seriously applied what he had learned through coaching. He had no choice. Either he got himself organised and changed his behaviours or he would have a short life. He did lose the weight, worked much less hours, planned for his personal life and met a partner in the process.

Running your own business can be very stressful. Most of us just can't switch off easily.
We need even more self-care.
If you are just like 'John' here's 5 ways to help you stay alive.

1. Learn how to get yourself organised so you make time for you. You will not pick these skills up by osmosis, you have to learn new ways of doing things.
Find a program that best suits your needs at
http://www.office-organiser.com.au/Resources.php
2. Find a holistic practitioner who offers a range of health tests and can provide proactive on-going treatment and advice. You can ask people you know who you know look after themselves and find out who they go to. You will require supplements because hardly anyone eats a 100% organic, fully balanced diet and lives in a non-toxic and stress free environment.

If you don't know where to go feel free to contact me lorraine@office-organiser.com.au, I'll be able to point you in the right direction.
3. Avoid people and places that do not support what you are trying to achieve, i.e. there's a lady who attends my gym every day to stay in shape and keep her weight under control yet she works in a bakery!

4. Set restrictions about how much of your time you're prepared to work and stick to it. Do not take work home!
5. Eat healthily, Get to Bed Early and Exercise Your Body Regularly
Bet there's nothing new here, that you didn't already know. But are you doing it?


THE FINAL WORD

Being fit and healthy is not an option. Just because you are standing and breathing doesn't mean you are well.

Wellness is about being pro-active with your health and not waiting until you are sick or something happens to you. No matter how busy you are, you surely can't be too busy to die?
And if it's all too hard and you seriously want to run your business more effectively, reduce the pressures and get a life, send me an email and we'll work out the best solution for your needs.

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Article Tags: alive 1, ambulance, behaviours, consistent effort, delegator, diet, disaster, new ways, organisational skills, overweight, paying attention, personal life, priority, running your own business, self care, stroke, suits, wake up call, warning signs, workaholic



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