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