Wow, it's May 17th, and I can't believe how busy things are at this time of year. With track and field in full swing, school-wide writes, cultural performances, staffing and budgeting for next year, new kindergarten orientations, a busy spouse's work schedule, multiple soccer practices for multiple kids at the same time, fighting over who is buying groceries for dinner tonight (every night)....the list goes on. On top of that, we are all getting tired--not worn out--just tired, and when that happens and our resiliency is low molehills often become mountains. My wife is experiencing this as she approaches the one-year anniversary at her university job. She loves the job, but finds the human resources--a.k.a. the people part of the job--a real time consumer.
Welcome to my world.
"But, you have a Master's degree", she says.
"And, you have a Doctor of Medicine", I say.
"But they didn't teach us about Human Resources", she counters.
Welcome to my world.
It is funny that I find myself finishing of a post intended to encourage us all to enjoy the last months of the school year without feeling overworked and overwhelmed, two weeks after I started it. I guess it just goes back to that idea of a daily "To Do" list gone awry, smothered in a humongous helping of the "One Things at a Time" mantra that I was going to write about. Talk about irony.
In any event, here is my advice:
During silly season, the playoffs push so to speak, we all have days when we feel like we are running on fumes. Our resiliency is low, and that leaves us susceptible to stronger reactions (you will notice that I did not use the word overreaction) to things that would be managed more easily with a fuller tank. It is very easy to throw your hands in the air, in despair, and to feel overwhelmed when in fact all we need is a little focus to give us clarity.
Easier said than done.
For me, it usually takes enough emergencies that I want to run away for me to step back, prioritize, and start dealing with things one at a time. O n e a t a t i m e. It helps to remember those posters, you know, the ones that you find in offices everywhere that ask for the patience to solve the things that you can and the sanity to let go of the things that you cannot fix? So, make a list, a real list on paper, and start dealing with things on at a time. People already know that you are busy, and appreciate that you have a plan to help them out even if they have to be next in line. You see, they at least know that they are next in line. I find that being able to make a list, and then actually crossing things off of that list really helps me to calm done, and that means that I listen better, connect better and help people to solve their problems better. It also helps me to delegate off the things that someone else can do a better job on; trust me, trying micromanage your way out of a deluge of issues isn't good for anyone
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely live for the weekends and the quick recharge I get from them at this time of the year. I have lists of the things that absolutely need to be done today, this week and this month in front of me, and those lists change depending on the circumstances that come before me. Let your lists be fluid, and tackle the things that you can, one at a time, when they need to get done. You can do it.
Phew, I did it! Not on time, or at least on my original time line, but I know that you understand.
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