Blog
Tag: stress
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Dealing with unexpected phone calls
A phone call interrupting your flow is annoying. But what if it’s a really important call and you’re not ready for it? I knew there was an important phone call coming that afternoon. It was a while back. I had booked a call with my GP to ask for an autism assessment. I had accepted…
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Regular Burnout vs Neurodivergent Burnout
Burnout is talked about a lot. Some people think it is a never ending state of exhaustion, but there is more to it than that. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines Burn-out as “resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” It is characterized by three dimensions: According to WHO it as…
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My burnout can help you feel better
I thought I could cope with all the demands that I was making of myself. I needed to make life financially secure for my family and be able to buy shiny things and great experiences for my family. I needed to be a success at work. Does this sound familiar? Then, one day, I stepped…
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Neither fishing nor mending nets
This is a phrase I heard early in my career. Not from fishermen, but from an Electrical Superintendent in a papermill. Bob was good at quietly nudging people to focus what they spent their time on. When he thought folk needed to stop unproductive activities, he used the phrase “This is neither fishing, nor mending…
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Being swept towards the rocky shore
The outboard motor died, and the wind was blowing us onto the rocks of the small uninhabited island. I was a fit 15-year-old. The Saighdear (pronounced sigh-chair) was well into his eighties. I got the oars out and the Saighdear tried to get the outboard restarted. My aunt sat quietly with a worried look on her…
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Strong Fear of Failure Creates Exhaustion and Burnout
We struggle to admit to ourselves that we may be heading for burnout. Are we afraid of failure, of letting people down, or do we genuinely think we are ok, and we can cope? No one plans to reach burnout. “I’m looking forward to my burnout” said no one ever! No matter how stressed you…
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My Meditation Process
Meditation isn’t always easy, even for people who find it extremely helpful. I meditate every day, usually just 10 minutes in the morning before getting started with the day. You would think that it was easy after doing it on and off for years. Sometimes it’s not, I have found it worth persevering though. My mind is usually…
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Spotting The Insidious Symptoms of Stress
Stress can hit you in the face like a prizefighter’s punch. It can also creep up on you and steal your life like a pickpocket in a well-known Charles Dickens novel. It can do both though. Firstly, creeping up slowly, eroding your life, before hitting you hard and knocking you out. It’s better to spot…
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Feel Better by Knowing Yourself
It’s a common story, some call it a midlife crisis, for others it’s an awakening. We all know of people who have made significant changes in their lives. For some it is slow and steady, for others it’s a seemingly snap decision. It often comes from examining your life, figuring out what’s important to you.…
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Setting Up a Productivity System
Update This post was written before I fully understood landscape of neurodiversity. My earlier posts on a productivity system are still relevant. The system works well for autistics and for people with ADHD who need a structure. In previous posts, we’ve looked at the benefits of a personal productivity system. We’ve also looked at the…