Coping with work when you have ME/CFS/Fibromyalgia
I'm a Fibromyalgia/ME/Chronic Fatigue Wellness Coach who can help you improve the way you're currently living with this condition, and ultimately move you towards recovery. Visit http://www.pamelarose.co.uk to read more about how I can help, and to read previous blogs.
Coming to terms with a diagnosis of ME/CFS or Fibromyalgia can be tough. You need to accept that you can’t effortlessly do the things you did before, and for those of us who are employed in full-time work it can be a very worrying prospect.
Some days, just getting through basic activities can be a challenge - getting out of bed, dressing, and preparing meals. And the thought of also managing to hold down a demanding job can seem almost impossible. But I’ve successfully helped many people get to a stage where they are able to find an effective balance between their work and personal commitments, while they’re coping with their symptoms.
Often this involves helping them consider and filter through a range of options, and then form a plan of action. For example, one of the first considerations is to discuss their situation with their senior management to see what help is available. It’s extremely helpful to go into those types of discussions as well-prepared as possible, and so together we create a clear outline script to ensure they are able to articulate their situation in a calm and honest way. Even more helpful, is for them to go to such a meeting with a proposed plan around how they can continue delivering their work objectives. I’ve seen great results when I’ve helped clients prepare such an approach.
Some professions don’t cater well for flexible working arrangements, and when that’s the case we’ll consider what else is possible. Again, this has to be personally tailored for the individual concerned, depending on their specific situation. Sometimes we might work through alternative career paths, other times it’s about working through how to cope when the majority of their daily energy expenditure has to be devoted to working hours. I have many tips and pieces of advice to share around how to cope better in these situations.
What I have consistently seen, is that positively tackling the challenge of working with ME/CFS/Fibromyalgia leads to much improved results. However, trying to tackle this alone can be overwhelming, and my clients are often too close to the situation to be able to stand back and look at options objectively. Which is where my help comes in.
Having been there myself - managing my daily symptoms while successfully maintaining a senior management role for several years - I can discuss your situation with you from a point of absolute understanding. My years of corporate experience, combined with my coaching expertise, work together to help you discuss things with your employer in the best possible way.
I’d love to help you, please get in touch if you’d like to discuss this in more detail. You don’t have to do this alone.