| Many people are so very busy or are so concerned | | | | appreciated they may well start to develop other |
| at the thought of being found to be dispensable that | | | | interests and friendships away from the relationship. |
| the idea of taking time away from the office can in | | | | They may well start to build a life where they do feel |
| itself be a very stressful concept. Many people do not | | | | that they are important and valued. |
| use all their annual leave entitlement and self employed | | | | I have seen many clients who do not know what is |
| people regularly work longer hours, evenings and | | | | happening in their childrens' lives, they do not know |
| weekends to try to keep their business afloat. | | | | who their friends are or what they are interested in. |
| These real or self inflicted pressures can result is | | | | They find that they have nothing to talk about when |
| someone becoming so stressed that they virtually | | | | they are occasionally together. Family life carries on |
| become a workaholic, with all the associated | | | | whilst people are at work, and the message can be |
| symptoms and stress responses that this entails. | | | | implied that work is more important than the family. |
| Some examples are fear at the thought of delegating | | | | Having breaks together can redress the balance and |
| work to another person, a feeling that something else | | | | allow family relationships to be maintained and |
| should or still needs to be done, guilt that something has | | | | developed. |
| been missed or not done well enough. These are all | | | | Taking a break and using the time away to catch up |
| signs of becoming a workaholic. | | | | on chores and outstanding jobs can also be a valuable |
| This state often ends up being counter-productive to | | | | use of time. It can be very satisfying to decorate a |
| an efficient work environment. People need to take a | | | | room or tidy and plant the garden ready for the next |
| break to manage work related stress and keep | | | | season. And there are many jobs that cannot be done |
| themselves fresh and with a balanced and healthy | | | | outside of office hours because of the requirement to |
| perspective on work and the various decisions that | | | | deal with someone in person. |
| may well need to be taken. A break enables a person | | | | As someone once said, no one ever said on their |
| to come back to work refreshed and with a renewed | | | | death bed, 'I wish that I had spent more time in the |
| energy and enthusiasm. It enables a new perspective | | | | office'. Taking time to remember why we work is |
| to be introduced by being away from the situation for | | | | important. Yes, earning the money to live well enough, |
| a while and having some different experiences during | | | | enjoying the satisfaction of doing a good job, being |
| the time away from the intensity of the work | | | | challenged, stretched and successful are all valid |
| environment. | | | | results from a good work life. But, keeping those areas |
| Taking a break away from work is important for | | | | balanced and having the time and opportunity to |
| several reasons. It is important to value and nurture all | | | | manage work related stress and enjoy the other |
| the different areas in our life. Spending time with | | | | areas of our lives is also important for a healthy self |
| friends or loved ones is important. Apart from anything | | | | and a viable and successful home life. |
| else, if these people do not feel valued and | | | | |