How hard do you work?

The world isn't getting easier to survive in. It's becoming more and more competitive, forcing people to work harder and harder. Nowadays, even the smart workers will have to put in the long hours. Such is the demand of the modern day workplace.

Just today, I actually was so hard at work, I didn't take my breakfast, and only had some Mozzichino until around 3pm when I actually had some lunch. By the time it was 5pm, for whatever reason, I went dizzy. I walked over to Secret Recipe and helped myself to a slice of cake and aa pot of hot tea.

It didn't help a lot, so I wrapped up the most urgent work, and headed home for a short snooze.

As I woke up and browsed about the Internet, I came across this entry - MJ ... we all miss you ... , which led me to this entry - Worked up, Stressed up, Crashed down.

The tear that glided down my eyes came from recognising that this could easily be any of us corporate warriors, me included. MJ was a contract staff with a large multinational in Singapore who apparently died from overwork - she apparently suffered from what seems like the economy class syndrome, the Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), which is attributed to her long periods of sitting down at work.

I don't know if it is truly related to work, because I seem to believe this might be related more to lack of physical activity. But I'm sure there would be those who argue you'd have to work pretty hard to not have any physical activity.

Anyways, I just want to that I'm deeply saddened by her death, regardless of what the cause is.

My point is - this incident perfectly illustrated to me that we all have to remember that we work for something. Some work for the money. Some work for the love of the job. Some work to pass time. Some work because they have to.

Whatever your reason for working, you're definately not hoping you'd die one day because you're overworked.

That's why I'm pretty thankful I have my vacations lined up. I'll be away, hopefully, in some sand, sea and surf for a whole week.

I'm still a little wobbly, so I better go snooze somemore. =)

How hard do you work?

Hitting the wall / Wrecked with Guilt

Today, I literally hit the wall. That wall. The one you call fatigue.

Halfway through the workday today, I suddenly felt dizziness. My head felt like spinning, and while it wasn't an ache, the head wasn't quite natural at all.

I quickly grabbed a can of Coke, thinking the sugar rush would help. No help. In fact it worsened. So, I finished the immediate tasks at hand, and headed home for a quick nap. Gym can wait for another day.

I'm happy to report that it's all ok now. I'm feeling much better after a few hours of nap. And I'll be sleeping before midnight tonight as well. I think it's prudent for me to get rested now while I still have the luxury of that.

Sometimes, just when you think you can still pia, your body reminds you that you ain't in college no more. =)

*****

My parents took the other car to a wedding dinner last night, and on their way home on a very unfamiliar road, they had a very minor accident.

Good news is, no one's hurt.

Bad news is, my sister, the rightful owner of that car, is feeling hard done and had some very harsh words for my parents. I can understand she feels hard done by. I can also understand my parent's exasperation that she had reacted in such a manner. It's just people reacting to a situation differently.

The bumper, the driver side lights and the side piece on the driver side had some minor damage, and the driver side door is now having some problem opening and closing. But the car's very much ok, and the damage, in all honesty, is cosmetic.

Not for the first time, I had to step in to mediate. And that means I get to pay for the repairs, and will have to take the car for repairs, in my own time. It also means tedious negotiation with both parties - my parents, and my sister. I have to make sure no one's thinking they're at fault, and I also have to make sure everyone remains on non-yelling terms. It's interesting how some problems get resolved, and it hit me today my mediation skills at work originate in part from home.

Sometimes, I feel wrecked with guilt that our own schedules don't allow us to drive or be with our parents to wedding dinners. This is one of that sometimes.

And I'm saying this without any ill-feelings or ill-intentions: I'm really bored to death seeing my relatives getting drunk at every wedding dinner, and their little antics when they're not. Can't the elders gather without comparing how the younger youngs are doing? And wouldn't it be possible to lay off that karaoke? If it's just a civil reception with no high drama, I'd probably turn up a lot more often.

Family, what would life be without family ? =)