So I’m Getting Absolutely Hammered at Work
Aug 5th, 2009 by Carlos
I think I hinted at it in my post on stress and when things go crazy at work.
Obviously, work has been on my mind quite a bit. I’ve barely had time to clear the spam for the site, much less post something mildly interesting.
I won’t bore you with the details behind me and my TPS reports, but I will share some advice to others out there who are going through a crazy/rough/super busy rough patch at work:
- Laugh: When I come home, M and I laugh quite a bit. She’s funny even though she doesn’t think she is. But laughing helps release some of the stress from work and it makes me feel good. As long as I can come home and laugh, I know I’ll be OK. It creates a nice balance and change of pace from work. And trust me, this is way better than coming home and going on and on about how rough work was to your wife. Why bring it home with you?
- Love: I’m lucky. I have M and she keeps me honest. I come home knowing that we’re both happy and our lives are pretty sweet. Whether the job is stressful or not, that doesn’t matter—we have each other and, corny as it sounds, that makes all the different when you come home spent to the last drop.
- Work hard: Give it your all. You should be working hard regardless, but this is also a chance to test yourself. How much can you take on? Can you handle the pressure? The only way to find answers to these questions is to get thrown in the fire. That’s what’s going on now—can you feel it? Now hit it out of the park or at least hit a stand up double.
- Organize: To-do lists are your best friend right now. Prioritize and get everything down on paper. When things get crazy, your memory is NOT to be trusted. Write things down and create a plan at the start of every day. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.
- Put it into perspective: An old boss of mine used to have something scrawled in his office all the time, “None of this will matter in 10 years.” It really gets you thinking, especially when you’re knee deep in the muck of it. Don’t forget that this isn’t life or death—it’s your job. It’s important, but it’s not like anyone’s dying or anything.
- It will end: Eventually. It may not feel like it, but it will. And if it doesn’t ever stop…then you have to think of moving right along to something else…
If anyone else has any good tips to share, feel free to add them in the comments section.
Image by alancleaver_2000
