Here are 4 descending levels of functioning.
Peter is successful at work and home. He has ups and downs but generally Peter is able to handle everyday pressures at home and at work. Others regard Peter as calm, “together,” and thoughtful.
Patricia is very successful at work but her success is very costly to her family. There are frequent conflicts at home over Patricia’s work and her family relationships are frequently tense as a result of her career. Patricia’s family would hardly recognize her at work. Her colleagues would never believe how different she is at home from how she is at work.
Paul is deeply roped into his family issues and conflicts and is continually distracted and cannot give his best at work. His career is in jeopardy because of the domestic demands upon his life. Thinking about his home and family exhausts him.
Penny attracts conflicts, critics, enemies at both work and home. She is overly reactive, short fused and highly sensitive both at home and work. Penny is often in tears or on a warpath. Penny frequently complains that life is not fair.
With a little self-reflection and with taking personal responsibility, Patricia, Paul, and Penny could be “up there” with Peter. While each allows the winds of career and home to shape their every move and mood their debilitating struggles will persist.
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