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NewswireToday - /newswire/ -
Leeds, W Yorks, United Kingdom, 11/10/2009 - As “life-splicing”* becomes a way of life for many, Apprentice star Claire Young considers the effects this could have on our stress levels.
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She is launching a new campaign to encourage us all to take stock and untangle our work and home lives, as part of the “Balancing Britain Campaign”.
Life-splicing, a new term for when work and life are intertwined, is becoming increasingly common as we blur the lines of 9 – 5 trying to juggle our commitments. However, a survey questioning how this left us feeling showed that over 67% of people felt that the 2 areas of their lives overlapped too much now, compared to 56% feeling this over the last 5 years.*
More flexibility with working hours and locations can lead to work eating into home life and one of the key outcomes of this is that the stress then affects relationships because it can lead to a lack of tolerance, something Claire herself admits to struggling with.
With over 74% of people admitting that when stressed and feeling the pressures of work and life overlapping they become more intolerant to friends, family and colleagues, Claire has teamed up with Chinese health and wellbeing organisation Lishi to launch the “Balancing Britain Campaign”.
Claire said: “Supporting National Tolerance Day on the 16th November the “Balancing Britain Campaign” is asking people to take stock for the day, do a reality check of how balanced their life is and do one thing differently that could improve that. I know that when I was in The Apprentice when people got stressed from lack of sleep or work pressure there is the tendency to snap and have a short fuse – this is something I’m conscious of now I’m a business woman running my own company. Business is no longer 9 till 5, the hours are long with huge pressure in a tough recession. I consciously look after myself and have time out – I don’t want to become tired and intolerant! A balanced me is a more productive, happier me.”
She added: “I’m supporting this campaign because I feel anything that’s done to try and make us all respect each other and support each other, rather than turn on each other, is a hugely positive thing. I’ve learnt from experience that being negative towards people doesn’t get you anywhere and I want to spread that message. This campaign is also a learning opportunity for me, and I am looking forward to taking up Lishi as a way to de-stress and hopefully make me a more tolerant person.”
Elements of the campaign run by Lishi include taking the Tolerance Pledge via facebook where you can commit to a specific action to consciously be more tolerant of something/someone. Every 100th person to pledge will receive a month of free health and wellbeing classes to help them relax and unwind.
The Lishi classes run nationwide and organisers hope that these will be used by people to help find a new perspective. As the only system of its kind outside of China, Lishi is based around strengthening and learning to use your chi energy, teaching how to attune your mind and body as well as provide a release for tension that builds up through exercise and breathing techniques.
Natashia Mattocks, Lishi co-ordinator said: “We have brought Lishi to Britain because of the diversity of population here. Britain is recognised as a very cultural country and one open to embracing new ideas so we saw it as a place being at the forefront of new ideas and practices”.
Other elements of the campaign include Claire tweeting her top ten tips to a balanced life week commencing 16th November, as well as competitions to win one-to-one sessions with Lishi Master Laoba Desmond Murray.
Claire will be available for interviews from the 16th November. You can also follow Claire on twitter.
*This survey also found that 87% of people have been stressed at some point in their lives two thirds of people found receiving work emails at home/at weekends stressful the causes of intolerance were rated as follows:
Most popular reason for being intolerant = 89% stress and pressure of work. Followed by 65% being highly strung due to lack of sleep; 52% being wound up by colleagues; 48% feeling resentful at work due to overtime and working extra hours.
Men rated as being on average 50% less tolerant than women
*The Life Maximizer study by Microsoft has found that three quarters of us are 'life-splicing', the new term coined for mixing up social life with work.
Lishi is funded by the Learning Revolution (through the International Daoist (Taoist) Society)
The Learning Revolution is a strategy for informal adult learning, developed following wide consultation by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) - which was previously the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS).
Lishi was brought to the UK by Chan Kam Lee, a precious stone dealer from China when he began teaching Lishi in London in the 1930’s. A chance encounter with Chee Soo, a fourteen year old orphan to whom he became a mentor, gave him the opportunity to teach him everything he knew of the ‘dying’ art. Following his death, Chee Soo spread the Chinese Daoist movement in Europe between the 1950’s and 1990’s, introducing people to the ancient art of Lishi.
For more information, or to arrange interviews please contact:
Rebecca Campbell, Chocolate PR
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pr[.]chocolatepr.co.uk 
