Noticing work disturbances

• The time it takes to notice and correct errors increases significantly.
• Usual work performance is only possible in phases.
• Change decision criteria. You become more open to alternatives.
• Goals change. Looking for quick solutions. Close goals dominate.
• Carelessness during activities. Overlooking details.
• The frequency of errors is increasing.
• Starting activities is difficult.
• Re-checking activities is increasing.
• Opinions are formed too quickly, followed by rigid adherence to them.
• It is more difficult to make a decision.
• Work more slowly to make sure that everything is correct.
• Indifference to your own mistakes is increasing.

He read the text of the e-mail for the third time and still found spelling mistakes (the frequency of mistakes is increasing. The time it takes to notice and correct errors is increasing significantly). This cost him valuable time. He still had to write a detailed report. A preliminary short report had to suffice. Hopefully no one would ask questions (Goals change. Looking for quick solutions. Close goals dominate). He noticed clear concentration problems (Usual work performance is only possible in phases) and he had difficulty maintaining his usual pace of work (Starting activities is difficult).

Work disorders are usually the result of mental fatigue and exhaustion. PIRKA suggests relaxONnaming^® during the pause, relaxONnaming^® the surroundings and relaxONnaming^® colours as a time-out.

The customer complained on the phone that goods were missing. In fact, she had forgotten to include a product. However, due to the existing amount of work, she no longer took such complaints to heart (Indifference to her own mistakes was increasing). She noticed a creeping insecurity about whether she was processing everything correctly and preferred to double-check (working more slowly to make sure everything was correct. Re-checking activities is increasing).

Taking a “real break” means doing something that can be implemented quickly and promotes mental alertness. PIRKA suggests relaxONnaming^® during the pause, relaxONnaming^® the surroundings and relaxONnaming^® colours as a time-out.

Franke, G.H. (2002). Symptom-Checkliste SCL-90-R von L.R. Derogatis. Beltz. Göttingen.

Frankenhaeuser, M. (1981). Coping with Stress at Work. International Journal of Health Services. Volume 11, Number 4, 491-510.

Schmidtke, H. (1981). Lehrbuch der Ergonomie. 2. Auflage. Hanser. München.