Redundancy - Is it a Blessing in Disguise?

By Giuseppe Saieva

Redundancy and the emotional turmoil of such a life changing event is one that many gurus, life coaches and other 'experts' have written about and tried to identify advice and solutions to those affected. In far too many cases these 'experts' have no personal experience of redundancy which can make their advice seem rather hollow or even patronising.

During the last couple of years nearly everyone will have been affected by the impact of redundancy in one form or another. It may be a friend of relative having being made redundant, the possible threat of redundancy or being made redundant themselves. Which ever situation it may be the emotional effects will be the hardest to deal with and the aftermath can be devastating.

I was made redundant in September 2009 and I want to share my story with you to show that it does not have to be the end of the world.

Dream it, Do it!

By Candice Chung

Ready to pack your bags and chase that seemingly out-of-reach goal? You can do it...

During my early twenties, my biggest dream was to one day earn a living by becoming a writer. With rabid optimism and little more than 50 bucks in the bank, i quit my days job as soon as I turned 24 - only to plunge headlong into months of unemployment. "It's not so bad," I'd think to myself between mouthful of corned beef. Suffice to say, things got rather bleak before they became better. In hindsight, it's obvious that some sensible planning would've made the transition a whole lot smoother.

Blake Beattie, motivational expert, believe that careful goal setting is essential to reaching your dreams - whether it be a career change, or picking up a new skill. By breaking long-term goals down to smaller chunks, you'll make things a more achievable. Some people wait too long to be ready and that feeling never arrives. Part of the reason is because stepping outside your comfort zone can often be unnerving, but it's something we all need to do.

So let the planning begin ...

Climb, Leap, Claw to the top ...

by Geogia Clark

"If you want something done, you've got to do it yourself ... right? Wrong! That is a very arrogant position to take."

Easy, tiger! We all want to get ahead in our careers, but being too ambitious can limit your chances for success. Here are the traps to avoid...

TRAP#1: You chase the quick cash ...
You've spent more than three years living on two-minute noodles during uni, so now it's time for your just desserts.

Key questions in your First Real Job Interview must include: How soon will there be a career development opportunity for me? When will I be eligible for promotion? Can I move up in the organisation, or is it a flat structure? "These are the things that govern how rapidly your pay goes up," says Southam. A warm and supportive work environment is worth gazillion dollars more than a job you dread going to everyday ...

Over-thinking your work success and convincing youeself you're a fake?

by Candice Chung

Always over-thinking your work success and convincing youeself you're a fake? Here's how to duck those self-doubt thoughts ...

It's after work and you're on the bus on your way home. You find a seat, fish out a magazine and start flipping through it, and start reading.

At the back of your mind, you are still thinking about your day. All the meetings, deadlines, and things you haven't done. You try to shake off that niggling feeling and are quietly relieved to get through another day without any major disaters.

Your manager thinks you are a star, yet, somehow, you find it hard to believe. Others say you are a hard worker, but they have no idea just how much effort you put in to get everything done. If only they knew what was going on inside. If only they realised that, deep down, you've been feeling like a fraud.

Imposter or high achiever??
For business owner Nyssa Berryman, 31, the false belief of being a fraud is something she has been wrestling with for some time. Despite being nominated for several prestigious business awards for her successful PR company. The Buss PR, Berryman still finds it's hard to relate to her own accomplishments at time.

"I'm usually a very confident person, but, privately - every now and then - I'll sort of pause and think. "Do I know what I'm talking about? Do people even trust me? ... And I'm hit with a feeling where I don't know if I'll ever find real success."

Although Berryman has always been a high-achiever, external praise and recognition only offer her a limited sense of reassurance. In fact, it is often when she stops to evaluate her successes that she feels a heightened sense of anxiety.

Office Syndrome : Work & No Play

-- Aigle Magazine Vol. 6 June 2011


Office seems to be the best place to work, especially for those in tall building with cool A/C all day long, where you don't have to go out and get the hot gooey sweat outside in the real world. Do you really think that you are safe working all day long in your cubicle with a stiff chair and a computer staring at your face?


Office Syndrome, also known as sick office syndrome or sick building syndrome, is one type of decease that deals with the environment. It is the top most disorder for the white collars. The symptoms include: sensory irritation of the eyes, throat, and skin; non-specific hypersensitivity reactions; etc. At the beginning, it appears that you are allergic to something but can't find the cause. Finally, you may be suffering some chronic diseases.


So what causes all these health risks? First of all, office buildings' windows are permanently sealed; therefore ventilation inside the building is inadequate, leading to build-up of molds, bacteria, pollen, viruses other biological contaminants.

Secondly, some other furniture is designed to look good but is not suitable for your body. So sitting on it for many hours can cause aches and pains. It's not just one day that you have to sit on it. Most people spend at least 40 hours per week and 40 something weeks per year. Imagine how that accumulative aches and pains can cause you in the long run.


Thirdly, office equipment, especially computer, is so convenient, so hi-tech and yet can be harmful to your eyes, elbow, wrists, and fingers. Computer is not the only office equipment that can harm you. Whiteboard marker, Xerox machine, white out, etc. can also be hazardous to your health in the long run, cumulatively.


So what should you do? Make sure that your office is well-ventilated; air-con should be cleaned as many time as needed; and dust should be removed from all electrical devices. Next, your desk and chair should be adjusted to fit your body posture. If you are computer-bound, look up every 20 minutes and focus on something in the distance for a few seconds. If necessary, use some eye-drops, it will take some of the strain off your eyes.


If you can't do anything about the environment in which you work, you yourself can take control and precautions to avoid the health hazards that you may face - EXERCISE to keep fit - that's the key solution to avoid Office Syndrome!