The fatigue is so difficult to manage. The constant shocking twists and turns. How does everyone manage?
6 replies (most recent on top)
Jeeze, why don't you start writing books.
I resigned. Best choice ever
@c9 anyone discounting sleep is making a mistake. It's precious and everyone's responsibilities are different. Going to bed earlier is a project right now. It makes a huge difference.
@dy there is so much hard won wisdom here. It makes sense, as a bonus! So rare these days!
Plates must fall. If I juggle everything, the likelihood of everything falling increases. If I select plates to carry to completion, I may not have done everything perfectly, but I did the work and learned from my mistakes instead of fu---d everything up by overburdening myself. “I don’t have capacity at the moment. Here is the high level of what I’m focusing on. When do you need this by?” And then I just try to understand the urgency of the ask to see if it actually is worth dropping other things for.
Not everything needs to be my problem even if I know the solution. I can be part of conversations, but I don’t need to lead everything. Sometimes I shut up just to let my coworkers have a chance to shine. It’s important for their growth too. I always speak up when asked in those situations, but I’ve learned that being too vocal leads to the expectation of my name being placed on a things that have zero impact on my career path and are not my responsibility. It sets an expectation that I will be doing that task long term. That’s how admin work magnetizes to you.
My voice isn’t always important and that’s totally fine. I’m surrounded by incredibly smart people. Sometimes the vocal and written support of their efforts is enough to keep my team going too- so I’m loud about the recognition of the hard work going on around me assigned to the people actually doing the work.
I’m lucky to have a wonderful manager who recognizes that and encourages prioritization. I plan my PTO as soon as I can to force me to take the time off. I use all of my sick time as needed. Important project thrown on me? I planned this time off 6 months ago. Won’t be here. Plan around it. I took my phone number off internal emails. Contact my manager if you need me. No Teams or Outlook on my phone. No opening my laptop on weekends or after I hit my 40 unless I personally feel it would benefit myself or my team to extend my time.
It’s taken my entire career to recognize how unhealthy a poor work-life balance is. One of my old managers died of a heart attack from working three roles at the same time. Today, I am promised a paycheck. I don’t know what the future looks like.
At the end of the day, it’s a job. I love my job, but my family and I come first. Always.
Take your PTO and unplug from everything even personal social media. Take at least a day combined with a weekend you don't have to work.
If you can do it, take a week or even two at time off.
Pick two things that are a must today, the others have to wait. Make sure you shut your laptop when you leave for the day, try to limit the phone interactions after hours.
Take me time, even it is for a 20 minute walk during the day. Protect yourself at all costs.
Remember your are replaceable has we have seen, it is work family time or your mental health to keep going at this pace?