I grew up with self-doubt. My childhood was long on criticism, short on encouragement. I learned to question my own performance automatically, thinking I had to do something more to be accepted. It was painful, but as a kid, being found wanting by your caregiver is frightening and renders compliance alluring. In my case, self-hatred …
My missing peace For much of what I like to call the middle bit of my life* (*may not be mathematically accurate) I looked for peace. I didn’t have much, but I could see people who did. I was tangled up in a world of busyness, running around looking under every stone for the elusive …
If you have a life experience that triggers grief, but you bottle it up, know that it can’t be deleted. It will wait until you’re ready, then return. To be heard. To be honoured. To be felt. Trauma is the same. If we witness or experience a traumatic event, that we don’t have the capacity …
As I reported last year, in May 2019 the World Health Organisation classified burnout as ‘a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed’. The three main experiences they reported in people suffering burnout were feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings …
I’ve made a free video series with tips on how to survive Covid19-related stress. See Free Video Course – Covid19 Stress Management Please share this post with anyone who may benefit.
If you lack a general sense of safety in your life, work, relationships and social life – have you ever wondered why? If, like me, you are pre-millennial (born before 1980) you might recall a different, safer experience of life. Looking back from today it appears quaint, naïve even. The pace of life was slower, …
According to the “Areas of Worklife” model, workload is only one of the six contributors to burnout. Control, reward, fairness, community and values are the other five elements. Control Our need for control in modern life is often thwarted, but our sense of entitlement sometimes tells us it shouldn’t be. In the last century, we had much better …
I had to work through the death of my father around this time of year in 2014, and it took a toll on me. Like it or not, I wasn’t able to perform at my best. Many workplaces will accommodate those who are grieving with the leave they need, but if you have a personal …
How to handle a personal crisis when you still have to work Read More »
OK gents, let’s talk about caring for that other organ – the marvellous complex irreplaceable instrument you have in your head – your brain. Not a popular topic with blokes. But here goes… If you have a brain, it helps to maintain it. Shit can go wrong if you don’t. Your life can become a …
