Building a sustainable career when you have ME/CFS

Video Description

Liz Wagenvoort, from Resolve Consultancy, talks with us about the challenge of finding appropriate work when you live with chronic illness such as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and long COVID. She discusses the reasons why we work, the challenge in finding employers who can accommodate our need for flexibility and possible adjustment of tasks, and provides a set of reflective questions to help us identify work that may be sustainable to us. Following the meeting, Liz provided a handout with some ideas for home-based businesses that may highlight an idea that would work for you (see Additional Resources section below). ____________________________ ABOUT LIZ WAGENVOORT Liz is the Director of Resolve Consultancy and has a Master of Science in work psychology. She is passionate about helping people with chronic fatigue-related health conditions  to find accommodations and approaches that enable them to continue working - if their functional capacity allows this.  She offers a unique background of lived experience with chronic illness, working experience as a corporate professional, and evidence-based practice as a science practitioner. which informs her approach to problem-solving and the creation of solutions. For more info:  ✦ [email protected] ✦ https://linktr.ee/coaching.resolve ____________________________ ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: ✦ Timestamped slide list further below ✦ Pdf of the slide deck - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GE3H0PpVs3N2ovM31A3r0RqL_eiMbkgD/view?usp=drive_link ✦ Pdf of Liz's script - https://drive.google.com/file/d/14ik30UMzaWyeH9ls3l06Z33sJQjB53Z6/view?usp=drive_link ✦ Tips for a Sustainable Career handout - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BWz7uXGE8QK4GvC_Uml77I1MwgU-V09z/view?usp=drive_link ✦ Also, an article in Harvard Business Review: Long COVID at Work: A Manager's Guide (see excellent table of Workplace accommodations at end) https://hbr.org/2024/05/long-covid-at-work-a-managers-guide ____________________________ REFERENCES: ✦ Nielsen, T. B., Leth, S., Pedersen, M., Harbo, H. D., Nielsen, C. V., Laursen, C. H., Schiøttz- Christensen, B., & Oestergaard, L. G. (2022). Mental Fatigue, Activities of Daily Living, Sick Leave and Functional Status among Patients with Long COVID: A Cross-Sectional Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(22), 14739. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192214739 ✦ Taylor, R. R., & Kielhofner, G. W. (2005). Work-related impairment and employment-focused rehabilitation options for individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome: A review. Journal of Mental Health, 14(3), 253-267. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638230500136571 ✦ Vijayasingham, L., Jogulu, U., & Allotey, P. (2020). Chronic illness and sustainable careers: How individuals with multiple sclerosis negotiate work transitions in a middle-income country. Social science & medicine (1982), 245, 112699-112699. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112699 ✦ Other references in pdf of slide deck https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GE3H0PpVs3N2ovM31A3r0RqL_eiMbkgD/view?usp=drive_link ____________________________ CONTENT /SLIDE LIST: 00:00 Welcoming Liz 00:37 Introduction by Liz and her interest in the topic 03:24 Introduction to the topic 04:13 About Liz . 05:35 Why Work? - 06:05 Financial, social, meaning - 07:16 Status . 11:20 Hierarchy of Needs – Abraham Maslow . 15:35 What we know about ME and Employment . 18:03 Disability & Unemployment 21:54 Illness Disclosure in the Workplace – Potential Benefits and Risks . 24:25 Employment continuation strategies 24:44 Return to Work Phases – not usually relevant for ME/CFS - 27:09 Work Accommodation - 29:34 Employment Considerations . 33:50 Sustainable Careers Concept 35:04 Organisational context shaping your career path 36:11 Career changes due to chronic illness . 36:20 Questions to Ask Yourself – Identifying sustainable work . 38:38 Sustainable Careers for pwME – NZ Workplaces to consider - 38:38 Hidden Disabilities organisations - 39:16 Organisations with the Accessibility Tick or members of NZDEN (NZ Disability Employer’s Network) . 40:19 Conclusion – Pyramid of Needs . QUESTIONS: 41:10 What do you suggest when applying for jobs – do you disclose your medical details in a cover letter or at a job interview? 42:30 I’m going to see a vocational careers consultant, she’s funded by WINZ. 45:32 Examples of careers or home businesses that people with M.E. have been able to sustain? 49:15 I have always done physical work and can no longer do that, so wanting ideas what I can do with my limits? ___________________________ DISCLAIMER: MECFS Canterbury is not responsible for the accuracy of content that we link to. The inclusion of such links does not imply endorsement by MECFS Canterbury.