I'm home from work now. Well, actually I left early as I had to visit my lawyer with my mom for all that house-moving-closing documentation. I spent four hours of yesterday doing work at home to make up the time, that's how busy work is right now.
So I'm loggeed in on my work computer, doing change-of-address stuff for my mom, and sipping a Bloody Mary while I read some great blog updates by my favourite blog writers (see sidebar, almost everyone has a brand-spanking new post today or thereabouts).
It's Monday and you know the dread that gets inspired in me about this day. I tossed and turned (futile-ly) last night, even after logging those four solid hours onto my work computer,
remotely, from my condo. And I got a tonne of stuff done.
Still.
I can't stave off the Monday blues.
The title of this post alludes to a new project I've taken on.
It's called my Work Journal (I will work on a TM for this haha..).
My work journal, as I was emailing my friend A. today, allows me to track what I am doing (alot), who I speak to (clients), tasks that interrupt other tasks, and any 'incidents' that may happen along the way, during any given day. They might be unpleasant, but I record them neutrally, in a professional, detached way, and it helps me to gain some perspective on how I might resolve them, even if I can't see that at the time.
I once read a book about the 'toxic workplace' and I guess my workplace has elements of that ( I self-edit here...). Part of the toxicity relates to my industry--things must get done, they must get done yesterday, and that's all there is to it. But I'm a person, a sometimes-sensitive person, and angry clients really upset me. And trust me, clients DO get angry. They emotionally associate with their homes in a way I find unhealthy and weird, but I can't tell them that. So I just listen. And try to solve problems. And put out fires. And explain that not every deadline can get met (while frantically doing everything humanly possible to meet said deadline, keeping a cool head while doing it).
And after the year I had last year, believe me, I had a very hard time taking their problems seriously.
I'm happy to report that things HAVE gotten better, that I am functioning at work once again in my usual more-than-proficient manner, and the Work Journal is another indication of my ongoing commitment to taking on projects and running with them.
Then, today, I read this:
http://tinybuddha.com/blog/10-journaling-tips-to-help-you-heal-grow-and-thrive/?utm_source=The+Tiny+Buddha+List&utm_campaign=4cabac1657-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email
It's journalling tips. So rather than use them for my regular journal (or I might do that in addition to), I'm going to apply these tips, one at a time, to my work journal.
Here is the first one:
Start writing about where you are in your life at this moment. Describe your living situation, your work, and your relationships. Are you right where you want to be?
Hmm. I like this one. I'm going to change it to: Start writing where you are in your work life at this moment..... "Describe your working situation, your work, your work relationships. Are you right where you want to be?"
Ok. Here goes. Hell, maybe I'll even use this as a blog springboard.
Where I am at my work-life at the moment.
Well, I'm on the cusp of something. It may very well just be my re-awakening from this long process known as grief, but since my vacation/wedding/honeymoon, despite the busy-ness of work and of my own life, I'm functioning again. In an astute way. And I'm juggling again. And I'm doing well when I work from home (gas prices are going to make this happen ALOT more in the future I can tell).
Am I stressed? Yes. Super-stressed. About every little thing, and every big thing. And as I mentioned, I lose sleep. But it's nothing a little pill can't help. Seriously.
My working situation. Well. It's busy. Uber-busy. Clients need things all day everyday. I have to be creative under pressure. I work with people who sometimes have personality conflicts. But since I carved out my motto, my non-negotiables for myself, it's gotten better. My friend A. is a huge help with this. One: No emotional conversations at work. Fuelled by me or a co-worker. I won't engage. Two: I control my own behaviour, am responsible for myself.
Not for anyone else. Another follow up to this motto is one I learned from an architect I worked with, years ago: I can't be responsible for work I don't do. Applause.
Ok. My work relationships. Well, I base them on kindness and I don't come from a place of frustration, and no, I am not drinking the kool-aid, and I don't go in for alot the corporate bullsh*t that invades many a workplace, but I do keep an eye on my co's, and I know who's who. I avoid time-suckers and wishy-washies. That about sums it up.
Am I right where I want to be? Wow. I think the fact that I write in this blog almost daily pretty well
sums that up.
No comment.
Happy Monday. It's evening now, and it's drawing to a close.
Hallejuah.
No comments:
Post a Comment