Work

When you chose your profession, normally, this is guided by your values and what is most important:

• Income
• Passion
• Lifestyle

When it came to my choices as a M.E. person, I chose what skills I had attained, the income, the need for the profession and the value based on input vs output.

When I first fell with M.E., I was still at university, hopefully studying to be work in the diplomatic corps. During my recovery, I decided that this would not fit my condition so I changed to working in Sports Management. This led to working in a national sporting organization and then the Olympics. I should have been chuffed, but I wasn’t, so I switched over and joined the Army as a GIS Specialist. With additional pressure put on me to undertake linguistic work, I couldn’t maintain my health so I was medically discharged. I had survived fit for 5 years though.

On leaving, I chose to continue on as a GIS Specialist as it was in high demand, and paid well. After Covid, it also meant I could work from home as it is totally based around using a computer and consulting with clients, easily undertaken online.

However, it was detailed orientated with lots of different processes. This led me to develop a system that could replace my short-term memory issues. I used OneNote to record processes, client requests, breakdown of tasks and data management. Now I am identified as someone who is extremely well organized and I can coordinate large projects.

The rate that I am paid means that I can afford (as the second income earner) to work smaller hours and have rest days on either side. I can also keep managing my family as well.

I love my profession and how it can contribute to the community. So I get that spark of joy as well.

I function by working in the early part of the day as in the afternoon I find it quite difficult. I have good rest periods. I am visually patterned orientated and like to solve problems so this works for me.

My recommendations?

• Find you natural talents and focus your work choice around them
• Determine physically how you can work: time of day, in the office/at home, physical or cerebral work
• Use your current working network/employer to support you and build a good relationship with them
• When you are well, deliver a high standard to your employer/clients so they trust you
• Make sure the income is worth your physical expenditure