Have I Got Work-Life Madness

Have I Got Work-Life Madness

 THE WORK LIFE BALANCE MYTH

On the screen you can see an extract from a paper called the Extra. Everyone knows we work the longest hours in Europe. 80% of visits to British Doctors are stress related. Tonight is not a seminar on stress we do run seminars on stress and we have a whole in-house programme for teachers medics and business organisations.. If you are interested in having more info about that programme please speak to one of the CFF team in the break or at the end.

 According to Philip Hodson of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy these are some of the symptoms;

          Fatigue
          Skin problems
          Dry mouth
          Muscle tension
          Disturbed sleeping patterns
          Loss of appetite or libido
          Poor memory & concentration
          Constant anxiety
          Mood swings
          Negative self-image
          Reacting to trivial problems as if they were major ones
          Inability to make minor decisions

 I call work life balance a myth - partly to get your attention but also because it's a phrase that does not work well in reality. Some pressure even small amounts of stress (depending on your own definition) is wonderful and productive and having some of these symptoms is normal. But maybe like some of you I have been through seasons in my life where I have been overstressed, weighed down with all 12 symptoms feeling like there's no way out. These are the times I have gone for help - counselling, coaching or just sharing with a mature trusted friend. If that describes you today - will you allow me to lift a burden. Let me remove doubt and encourage you to get help - it's not failure or weakness it's sound judgement and the right thing to do.