Case study no. 1: Andreas Krause, (age 39), Project Manager for innovations management of the IT department of a well known trading company
For seven years Andreas has been project manager for innovations management of the IT department of a well-known trading company. His work week consists of 80-90 hours, and he also invests time on the weekends for the processing of seven currently parallel running projects. This includes 15, sometimes even up to 20, people responsible for the workload who are also all involved in other parallel running projects.
He has difficulties concentrating, so he often takes his work home to finish it off. Due to the high workload he has been significantly restricting his social life. His wife and two children rarely see him anymore. But he doesn’t let it show. After all he doesn’t want to lose his face.
Lately he feels tired and exhausted. At night the thoughts of the next day that keep him awake. He catches colds more often, which he ignores without treating, as well as strong headaches. On one occasion an acute hearing loss followed and excruciating stomach pains finally forced him to come to the ibos institute.
ANDREAS KRAUSE:
”I felt I was at the worst point of the crisis; as if I was driving in a parking garage continuously in circles and just can’t find the exit. I always had the feeling I was chasing everything after that was happening; the difficulties I was facing seemed insurmountable. I had to learn to try not to do everything by myself and to clearly distinguish between important and unimportant matters, and to listen to my body. When I was at the point where I was most exhausted, a walk to the toilet felt like climbing the Himalayas. This sounds strange but I had difficulties doing the simplest things; even just doing the shopping in the supermarket. When I saw a line up to the register I turned around and left. That was all too much for me.
Looking back it seems ridiculous to me; back then it was horrible. I felt ashamed, wondering what people where thinking of me. I used to manage 50 employees – now I cannot even get daily things done on my own.
The most difficult during the therapy was admitting to myself that I have boundaries that I cannot cross without being punished for it. I had to accept that I have to take a step back and let my exhausted organism recharge. I had been running on empty for much too long.”