I work because I love what I do. Everyday is filled with new challenges, thoughts I’ve never previously explored, problems to solve to help others. In this I consider myself very lucky.

In the past I’ve been known to pull 14+ hour days in the office before coming home and doing more of the same. There’s never been managerial pressure, mandatory overtime, and seldom even the thought that I couldn’t pay my bills without it (well, I’ve always been salaried, so it wouldn’t make a difference anyway). It has been my choice for whatever reason I chose to believe at the time – I’d miss out on something or I might let others down.

The true reasons are somewhat less noble, and even a little scary.

I didn’t want to go home!

Firstly there was, for many years, someone there who made me feel unsafe, inadequate and deeply unworthy.

Secondly (partly because of that) I had no idea what else I might do. What is this “recreation” of which others speak? How do you do it?

This is no way to live. It’s not fun, it sucks all the pleasure out of my work, which is the one reason I do it!

I now recognise something that had previously not occurred to me – the need for work/life balance.

I’m very lucky, though, for another reason. I have friends around me (more recently a partner) who have helped me discover that there is life away from the screen, and shown me what I can do with it!

Now emails may go hours before being read – no one dies, everyone does this! I may not have my phone with me, or I may put it on silent – I’m not hurting anyone!

What a revellation! I CAN go out, I can see friends, I can say “I can’t get to that right now, send me an email and I’ll look later”. I can spend time with my partner, without interruptions. I have discovered what “recreation” is, not merely a substitute for working all the time, but what I should have been doing all along.

Finally I feel life is the reason I work, not a product of it, certainly no longer the other way round, and not something that only happens while I’m there, but that the work I love now is is there to support my personal time that I finally love too!