Do not apologize for being human
Do not apologize for being human. I wrote this down during a client session because it sounded like words of wisdom to me. Too often, we end up apologizing for running out of energy or time and sometimes the apology is deserved. Other times, we are apologizing because we are working at peak performance but just have too much on our plate to be able to accomplish all of it. At that point, especially if we are sick or have a sick family member or other issue, we need to drop the apologies.
More and more people are finding themselves overbooked, overworked, and working way beyond the 40 hour work week. Those of us who work from home often start work as soon as we roll out of bed and work long past 5pm. For me, I have been working 6 day weeks for the past two years because my clients need Saturday appointments since they too are working long hours. Here’s what happens though when we keep this pace too long. Something breaks.
Do not apologize for being human!
Many professionals are afraid to say they are sick when they are, they are afraid to ask for that personal time off. How will they ever catch up if they take any time off. Some people skip their vacations because they are too busy to take even a weekend off much less a week at a time. But you have to accept that there are limits to your ability.
In the DISC assessments that are standard in all of my career marketing / resume packages, when I review the page that speaks about stress, I remind the client that stress isn’t just that “Oh, I am so stressed, I am overwhelmed.” Stress is also caused when we skip sleep or food or don’t rest when our bodies are telling us that they are getting sick. We exhibit different personality characteristics when we are stressed. My latest DISC Assessment says:
Under Stress You May Appear:
• Unimaginative
• Resentful
• Slow to begin work
• Withdrawn
• Over-reliant on data and documentation
I suppose all of those are right. I took this last October. When I am stressed, I find it harder to find time to blog and find it hard to get writing. The report also says this:
Strategies to Reduce Conflict and Increase Harmony:
• Include all the people involved with a project in your decision-making process. Ask for their suggestions as well as their data.
• Be more open with your friends and coworkers, sharing your feelings, needs and concerns with them.
• Recognize that others may be more comfortable dealing with conflict, anger, and aggression. Expressions of anger or somewhat aggressive behavior by others are not
necessarily personal attacks on you.
Since I work from home, the person most impacted by my stress and unwillingness to admit I am human is my husband. I find when I honestly tell him what is going on, he has a much better point of reference than when I withdraw.
If you are struggling with overload, don’t apologize for being human, find strategies to reduce your conflict and increase harmony and use them.
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Julie Walraven
Professional Resume Writer
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