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His LinkedIn post went viral and we can all relate.
By L Reed — Written on Apr 27, 2021
It was supposed to be a regular Sunday for Jonathon Frostick. He enjoyed a morning coffee, went to the park, did a little shopping and had a late lunch.
Then at 4 pm, he had a heart attack.
In a LinkedIn post that has gone viral, Frostick says he didn't see his life flash before his eyes.
Instead, he thought of four things at the moment of his heart attack:
1. That he I needed to meet with his manager tomorrow, so this wasn’t convenient timing.
2. How would he secure the funding for X, i.e., work stuff.
3. That he hadn't recently updated his will.
4. That he hoped his wife wouldn't find him dead.
Frostick works in IT for HSBC in the UK.
He notes that before the pandemic, he had a reasonable work schedule. He would be home by 5 or 6 pm and could spend the rest of the day winding down.
But now, living in a world where people need to make space for work at home, the lines between the two spaces are blurred.
With schedules stretching past usual work hours, there is little time to spend time alone or with loved ones.
In the last year, the increase in Zoom meetings has made it more convenient to work from home.
But while some argue that web-based meetings can help with productivity, others argue it can do the opposite.
An article in the San Diego Union Tribune discusses how Citigroup has introduced “Zoom-free Fridays” for their employees.
In the article, the question was posed: Should businesses reduce Zoom meetings?
While Chris Van Gorder with Scripps Health said that Zoom meetings aren’t necessarily bad, he states, “I do believe companies should promote a healthy work-life balance, encourage staff to take time off to refresh, and establish programs that encourage health and wellness.”
Frostick’s viral post struck a chord with many people, getting over 200,000 likes, inspiring people to understand the importance of work boundaries, prioritizing yourself, and spending time with family.
After his heart attack, Frostick made goals for himself to make more time for life and not just work. “I’m not spending all day on Zoom anymore, I’m restructuring my approach to work, I’m really not going to be putting up with any s*** at work ever again — life literally is too short. I’m losing 15kg, I want every day to count for something at work else I’m changing my role, and I want to spend more time with my family.”
After the post went viral, Frostick wrote, "I never expected this post to hit home the message it did — but I'm pleased as it has seemingly helped a lot of people.”
Leeann Reed is a writer who covers news, pop culture, and love, and relationship topics.