1. BAHSHE ANNUAL CONFERENCE Friday 30 th June 2006 Life – Work BalancePeter McBride

2. Life – Work Balance The Rationale Burnout Getting There…

3. Life – Work Balance The Rationale Work-life balance is about people having a measure of control over when, where and how they work, leading them to be able to enjoy an optimal quality of life. Work-life balance is achieved when an individuals right to a fulfilled life inside and outside paid work is accepted and respected as the norm, to the mutual benefit of the individual, business and society.

4. Life – Work Balance The Rationale Work-life balance business benefits include: Increased productivity Improved recruitment and retention Lower rates of absenteeism Reduced overheads An improved customer experience A more motivated, satisfied and equitable workforce. To put it in bottom line terms, employee costs are often at least 50 percent of a companys expenditure, with replacement costing anything from £3,000 to £10,000 depending on seniority and level of technical skill.

5. Life – Work Balance The Rationale What Mitigates Against it? Increased work expectations Hours of work Work culture Impact of IT Decreased Life Supports Family break-ups Financial expectations Increased mobility

6. Life – Work Balance The consequences… Stress in the workplace (MIND 2006) Costs £100bn per annum in UK 12.8 m lost working days 58% of workers – job stress Reduced efficiency and productivity Social Impact Burnout…

7. Life – Work Balance Burnout Article in Scientific American June 2006 The very attributes that allow a person to achieve success – may also cause them to burn – out. High levels of motivation and commitment High levels of enthusiasm Accepting of responsibility Focused and outcome driven Vocational – identification of self with work

8. Burn – Out – 12 steps 1. A compulsion to prove oneself The beginning is often excessive ambition : their desire to prove themselves at work turns into grim determination and compulsion. They must show their colleagues – and above all themselves – that they are doing an excellent job in every way

9. Burn – Out – 12 steps 2. Working harder To meet their high personal expectations, they take on more work and buckle down. They become obsessed with handling everything themselves, which in turn demonstrates their notions of irreplaceability.

10. Burn – Out – 12 steps 3. Neglecting their needs Their schedules leave no time except for work, and they dismiss as unimportant other necessities such as sleeping, eating, and seeing friends and family. They tell themselves that these sacrifices are proof of heroic performance.

11. Burn – Out – 12 steps 4. Displacement of conflicts They are aware that something is not right but cannot see the sources of their problems. To deal with the root causes of their distress might set off a crisis and is thus seen as threatening. Often the first physical symptoms emerge at this stage.

12. Burn – Out – 12 steps 5. Revision of values Isolation, conflict avoidance and denial of basic physical needs change their perceptions. They revise their value systems, and once important things such as friends or hobbies are completely dismissed. Their only standard for evaluation of their self worth is their jobs. They become increasingly emotionally blunted.

13. Burn – Out – 12 steps 6. Denial of emerging problems They develop intolerance, perceiving colleagues as stupid, lazy, demanding or undisciplined. Social contacts feel almost unbearable. Cynicism and aggression become more apparent. They view their increasing problems as caused by time pressure and the amount of work they have – not by the ways they have changed.

14. Burn – Out – 12 steps 7. Withdrawal They reduce social contact to a minimum, becoming isolated and walled off. They feel increasingly that they are without hope or direction. They work obsessively by the book on the job. Many seek release through alcohol or drugs.

15. Burn – Out – 12 steps 8. Obvious behavioural changes Others in their immediate social circles can no longer overlook their behavioural changes. The once lively and engaged victims of overwork have become fearful, shy and apathetic. Inwardly, they feel increasingly worthless.

16. Burn – Out – 12 steps 9. Depersonalization They lose contact with themselves. They see neither themselves nor others as valuable and no longer perceive their own needs. Their perspective of time narrows to the present. Life becomes a series of mechanical functions.

17. Burn – Out – 12 steps 10. Inner emptiness Their inner emptiness expands relentlessly. To overcome this feeling, they desperately seek activity. Overreactions such as exaggerated sexuality, overeating and drug or alcohol use emerge. Leisure time is dead time.

18. Burn – Out – 12 steps 11. Depression In this phase, burnout syndrome corresponds to depression. The overwhelmed people become indifferent, hopeless, exhausted and believe the future holds nothing for them. Any of the symptoms of depression may be manifest, from agitation to apathy. Life loses meaning.

19. Burn – Out – 12 steps 12. Burnout syndrome Almost all burnout victims now have suicidal thoughts to escape their situation. A few actually carry them out. Ultimately, they suffer total mental and physical collapse. Patients in this phase need immediate medical attention.

20. Life – Work Balance Getting There… Re-write the Master-Plan From perfection to pragmatism Budget Physical Resources Food Exercise Sleep Balance Tension and Relaxation Stress innoculating activities Choosing to relax Sharing the burden – get support