The traditional pattern of work/life is becoming obsolete, and it needs to, because for many people it’s extremely unbalanced. No wonder the life insurance and pensions industries are (were) so profitable.. Until recent times hardly anyone lived long enough to collect what they’d paid in, let alone what their policies were worth. Millions lurched from miserable work to pointless retirement. This is the work/life mindset of the mid-1900s. Some people are still living and working according to these old ideas. Do you? Does your company still base its policies and ideas on this old mindset?
You have a choice to create your own mindset, and to reject the ideas of past generations and old-style employers and the government of the day (who even with the best intentions will always tend to be a generation behind modern ideas). A 2006 study by the Work Foundation (‘The good worker: A survey of attitudes towards work in the UK’) found that among UK workers 51% of people regarded their work as ‘a means to an end’, and 24% of people considered their work not to be a source of personal fulfillment.
If you are among the many (and seemingly increasing numbers of) people who are happy with work, that’s great. If not, and you want to construct your own approach to work/life balance, you can.
For example, if you hate your job and would prefer to work at something you love, what’s stopping you do this? Maybe not immediately, because big changes take time, but what’s stopping you take the time to plan and make this change? If you loved your job, and felt confident that you could always work at something you enjoy, does retirement become less significant? Maybe even irrelevant?
I suggest to you that if you resolve now to change work/life to be more balanced and enjoyable you could achieve the change in five years, maximum. Maybe less. So, consider this, how will you feel in ten years time if you still hate your work, and you look back at this moment?
For many people the most challenging part of improving work-life balance is finding enjoyable work which will pay the considerable bills that the unhappy work has been able to afford. The change cannot be made overnight for most people, especially with young families, big mortgages and expensive lifestyles, so for many the opportunity is reluctantly dismissed. If this is your challenge, here’s a way to approach it:
1. Discover and decide what you love and you could make a living doing. Be imaginative. Every possible passion or hobby can be turned into a business or a job or a new career in one way or another.
2. Build your new business or specialism in your spare time. If you are serious about it then a new opportunity will surface before long, for you to leave what you were doing before, and earn what you need by doing what really makes you happy.
If the time and effort is too much to contemplate or commit to, maybe see what happens if you give it a try for six months. What’s six months? And you’ll be amazed at how much better life looks once you open up a new direction for yourself. Things start to happen, even if you think they won’t. Very few people make a fortune doing something they hate. Certainly no-one is happy doing work they hate. Conversely there are many happy people - some wealthy, some not (it’s a matter of choice) - doing something they love.
III Developing background knowledge (B1/B2/C1)
1. Prepare a talk on a) Sigmund Freud; b) Erik Homburger Erikson
- give a brief account of some biographical facts;
- innumerate the main aspects of the theory;
- speak on the biologically, psychologically and socially bound changes people undergo in their life.
IV Exchanging views and ideas (B1/B2/C1)
1. Group work. Organize a brainstorming session to find out what aspects of life a) make you happy; b) you would like to change.
2. Compare your ideas to the entries of this chart. Say, which aspects of your life are subjected to change, how and at what stage of your life:
adventure
animals
boss
challenge
colleagues
creativity
diet
direction
discovery
faith
family/kids
finance
fitness
friends
giving/helping
growth
health
hobby
home
laughter
learning
love
machines
music/dance
nature
numbers
outdoors
relaxation
reputation
routine
safety/law
self-image
sleep
sport
stress
systems
thrills
travel
words
work
(Adapted from Life balance, happiness and life change. What makes your own life balanced and happy?)
V Summarizing the topic (B1/B2/C1)
- Explain the change in the attitude to work that might occur using the following information:
Traditional work/life pattern
- Work for an employer - live for the weekends and holidays - worry a lot and be generally unable to control your own destiny.
- Start your own business still doing something you don’t enjoy and continue to worry and work slavishly.
- Retire on a reasonable pension at 60 or 65, or 55 if you are lucky - continue to worry, and now add feelings of regret and maybe even bitterness.
- Rapidly decline due to lack of stimulus and die quite soon.
- What was the point of it all?
New work/life pattern
- Work for yourself or for decent employer(s), doing various things you love - (tip - you might need to re-discover what you really love).
- Progressively ease off working to spend more time learning and enjoying new things - some of which will become new work.
- Don’t worry about retirement because it can actually kill you (the worry and the retirement), and the pension system is shot to pieces anyway - try to save, but most importantly stay happy and productive.
- Keep learning and developing and doing new things - eat well, keep fit, and be good to people.
- Live long and happy - still working a little and always learning and enjoying new things.
( Adapted from Life balance, happiness and life change)
B2/C1
- Compare the following tables summarizing the ideas of S. Freud and E. Erickson. In what way has E. Erickson developed the ideas of S. Freud?
Table 1. The overview of the ideas of S. Freud
| Freudian psychosexual stages | age guide |
| 1. Oral Stage - Feeding, crying, teething, biting, thumb-sucking, weaning - the mouth and the breast are the centre of all experience. The infant’s actual experiences and attachments to mum (or maternal equivalent) through this stage have a fundamental effect on the unconscious mind. | 0-1½ yrs, baby, birth to walking |
| 2. Anal Stage - Bodily expulsions are the centre of the world, and the pivot around which early character is formed. Again the young child’s actual experiences through this stage have a deep effect on the unconscious and behaviours and preferences in later life. | 1-3 yrs, toddler, toilet training |
| 3. Phallic Stage - Phallic is not restricted to boys. This stage is focused on resolving reproductive issues. Where do babies come from? Can I have a baby? Experiences in this stage have a profound effect on feelings and behaviour and libido in later life. | 3-6 yrs, pre-school, nursery |
| 4. Latency Stage - Sexual dormancy or repression. The focus is on learning, skills, schoolwork. This is actually not a psychosexual. Experiences, fears and conditioning from the previous stages have already shaped many of the child’s feelings and attitudes and these will re-surface in the next stage. | 5-12 yrs, early school |
| 5. Genital stage - Puberty. Glandular, hormonal, and physical changes in the adolescent child’s body cause a resurgence of sexual thoughts, feelings and behaviours. | 11-18 yrs, puberty, teens earlier for girls |
(Adapted from Erikson’s psychosocial development theory. Freud’s psychosexual stages - overview)
Table 2. The overview of the ideas of E. Erickson
| Psychosocial Crisis Stage | Life Stage | age range, other descriptions |
| 1. Trust v Mistrust | Infancy | 0-1½ yrs, baby, birth to walking |
| 2. Autonomy v Shame and Doubt | Early Childhood | 1-3 yrs, toddler, toilet training |
| 3. Initiative v Guilt | Play Age | 3-6 yrs, pre-school, nursery |
| 4. Industry v Inferiority | School Age | 5-12 yrs, early school |
| 5. Identity v Role Confusion | Adolescence | 9-18 yrs, puberty, teens |
| 6. Intimacy v Isolation | Young Adult | 18-40, courting, early parenthood |
| 7. Generativity v Stagnation | Adulthood | 30-65, middle age, parenting |
| 8. Integrity v Despair | Mature Age | 50+, old age, grandparents |
(From Erikson’s psychosocial development theory. Erikson’s eight psychosocial stages)
- Make a power point presentation on the topic The Nature of Change (for principles of an effective presentation see Unit 5).
- Use the ideas of E. Erickson
- Express your point of view
VI Project work (B1/B2/C1)
- Interview your group-mates about their attitude to change. Present the results of your survey in a Report.
- Write an essay on one of the following topics:
1) Change and Stability in Life.
2) I have changed a lot since childhood.
3) I am ready for a change.
4) Life balance is happiness.
5) To be in harmony with life.
B PRACTISING SKILLS
TEXT 1 (B2)
Choose the correct heading for sections 1-4 from the list of headings below.
Write the correct letter in the boxes given below. Remember, ONE heading is extra.
List of Headings
A Improve your relationships
B Get in shape
CChange your routine
D Get out of your comfort zone
E Examine your life's path
How to Change Your Life
No matter how old you are, it's never too late to change your life for the better. Read this article to learn how to make changes on both the inside and outside to feel more fulfilled, happy, and at peace.