Wellbeing at work

REMEMBER 'WORK-LIFE BALANCE'?

THERE HAS been a much improved understanding of what a healthy work-life balance is, but for some of us the reality is very hard to achieve.

Pressures of operational work involve rotational shift work, shift extensions, call-ins and overtime on days off. Some can do operational work as a part-time employee or a casual, but this isn't always by choice, and additional hours and work can be sought after for financial reasons. For others operational work may be done during the normal span of hours but may still involve call-ins or shift extensions to get a day's work done. Sometimes little thought's given to non-operational staff and some green eyed monster stuff can occur between day workers and shift workers. There are issues around the ability to plan social and family events, pre advanced knowledge that a public holiday will be just that etc. The alternative can also occur, jealousy of the ability to have days off during normal working hours, which has many advantages. Non-operational employees often have an endless assignment of tasks, with no completing your workload in a day and a list of priorities for tomorrow, the week or the month. Some will also take work home so deadlines can be met and some of us will have significant concerns about job security or about a client interaction that went bad. Will I get disciplined? What will the sanction be? Was that a clinical error? Did I get my paperwork right? Do I need to activate my Professional Indemnity Malpractice Insurance? Perhaps you really don't need to do that extra overtime shift even though the money may be handy, there can be a mental and physical price to pay. If you were on duty, and working one short, think about how you'd cope - doing that extra shift or overtime to support your colleagues may just be something you tell yourself - they may be fine without you. If you turn up tired, are you a valuable asset or are you more likely to expose yourself and others to additional risk because of exhaustion? Then we all add the pressures of life, the appointment with a medical professional we've put off, the childcare we must rush to so we avoid excess charges, the Christmas concert, school assembly, sporting events, birthdays, parties, quality time with our significant others, staying in touch with our social circles, politics, religion, climate change, relationship ups and downs, life the universe and everything... Sometimes it can all feel too much. We're all time poor in our own ways and sometimes we can just simply be too tired. So, if you've read this far, what can you do to reset, to get yourself back on stable ground and functioning well for 2021? Make time for you. This could be a quick 5 minutes here or there to have a sit down to do some planning or some relaxing, to do something you like doing, just for you and nobody else. Sometimes professional help is needed, and the best place to start is your GP. Ask for a double appointment to set this up and your GP can provide a Mental Health Care Plan that will give you access to 10 medicare rebates to see other specialists. For more information see https:// www.healthdirect.gov.au/mentalhealth-care-plan Remember it’s OK to not be OK.