| Getting out of bed this morning wasn't so easy! | | | | address! How weird, I think! Immediately I click to |
| The sciaticas kicking in again - must be the | | | | open it and it appears to be an admonition. Of all |
| weather. | | | | the cheek, I think, its me thats sitting here alone |
| I make it to the bathroom to apply the heat | | | | in the office when I should be at home with my |
| spray to my back and insert my eye drops. It | | | | family, not him. |
| doesn't matter how much I sleep they still appear | | | | Taking a few deep breaths, not easy when I'm |
| rough in the morning. Eye bags that look more like | | | | hunched over this desk with no fresh air, I read |
| suitcases - not the most attractive look. I can't | | | | on. Just as my boss suspects I have ignored all |
| get the eye drops in today. Something to do with | | | | emails regarding the Health & Safety E-Learning |
| the angle of the wrist and Carpal Tunnel | | | | business. This is a push from him to check it out. |
| Syndrome - whatever that is. So I shout for the | | | | Planning to take a look when I get home, I take a |
| wife to help. Then I shout at her for missing my | | | | note of the address, pop it in my briefcase and |
| eye with the drops. | | | | close down my computer. Standing up, there is |
| Maybe its just stress. Maybe I'll take a few days | | | | nothing on my body that doesn't actually hurt. |
| off work. Maybe that way I'll avoid the Health and | | | | Must be my age. |
| Safety Training Seminar - boring stuff anyway. | | | | On the way home, I'm mentally planning what I |
| Well, that didn't help. Two days laying in bed, boss | | | | have to do at work the next day. At least the |
| ringing constantly and I'm still stressed. But the | | | | wife will be happy. I'm actually going to be home |
| wife's complaining at my malingering and the bills | | | | earlier than normal today. That's when a sick |
| need paying so after the usual morning ritual of | | | | feeling comes over me. Theres something I've |
| sprays, creams, lotions, potions and drops, Im | | | | forgotten but can't quite put my finger on it. |
| ready for a day at the office. | | | | I walk in the door to find an empty house and a |
| I settle down at my desk, if you can call it | | | | note from my wife saying she's at her mothers |
| settling. My chair has seen better days and tends | | | | and my dinner is in the dog when it hits me. |
| to list to one side but I can rectify that by | | | | Today was our wedding anniversary and I had |
| propping myself on the desk with one elbow - at | | | | promised to be home at a reasonable time. The |
| least I would if it wasn't for the tennis elbow so I'll | | | | table is set for a romantic meal and I've given all |
| just put up with it for now. | | | | my thoughts to work! |
| My boss is making some noise about the Health | | | | Despondently, I sit down and take out my laptop. |
| and Safety Training again! Apparently I can now | | | | Nothing else to do but check out the website sent |
| do it on line. Something called Health & Safety | | | | from my boss. Great - I've passed up on a |
| E-Learning. With two days work to catch up on | | | | romantic evening with my wife and swapped it |
| its not like I have the time. | | | | for an evening of Health & Safety. Wahoo! |
| Flicking on my computer the VDU comes alive | | | | However, all is not lost. This truly is an eye |
| with glaring brilliance and my eyes immediately | | | | opener! From the bad back, itchy eyes and painful |
| start itching. Maybe I should see an optician. I | | | | joints through to the lack of work/life balance |
| have some notes that I made while I was 'resting' | | | | that has led me here tonight I find the reasons |
| at home over the last few days but trying to | | | | behind it all and the solution. Apparently, I have |
| view them from my usual note pad position on | | | | brought all these ailments on myself. When I |
| the desk and working on the computer at the | | | | thought I was doing the right thing by throwing |
| same time is giving me a crick in my neck. | | | | myself into work I was doing it all the wrong way |
| Repetitive Strain Injury according to the doctor | | | | and the whole thing was becoming |
| but what does he know? | | | | counter-productive. |
| I resign myself to what's probably going to be a | | | | I feel less stressed already knowing this situation |
| long day, followed by a late night, and begin to | | | | will not go on. Waking a little more refreshed than |
| open up my emails. Vaguely aware of my | | | | usual the next morning, I turn into work with a |
| colleagues occasionally wandering around the | | | | view to correcting so much. |
| office I'm becoming aware of a nagging | | | | Taking an hour each day out of my work |
| resentment that they actually have the time for | | | | schedule, I am able to implement all the Health & |
| that. They'll be socialising next! Before I know it, | | | | Safety Risk Assessments suggested and |
| its 5 o'clock. I haven't moved from this desk or | | | | gradually over time my ailments are reducing. My |
| eaten for 8 hours but time for that later. | | | | wife, and my life, is happier. My work/life balance |
| At 7.30pm I finally stop for a toilet break and | | | | has been restored. I am actually getting more |
| grab a quick coffee from the machine to keep | | | | done, in less time, and getting to realise that my |
| me going a little longer. Back at my desk another | | | | colleagues, that I hardly knew before, are actually |
| email pops up, this time from the bosses home | | | | quite a nice bunch! |