I let myself down
I said yes to a job that didn’t really tick my boxes.
I said yes when I knew deep down (okay maybe it wasn’t actually that deep down), that it was better to say no.
And what is happening with said project?
Poor communication, tight deadlines and a physical and mental note to myself to not work with the company again.
I could get stressed and annoyed and wound up and complain every second of every day. I could also breathe through it all and get some perspective. I read something the other day along the lines of “take your hand off of the pan." Meaning that it doesn’t take us long to acknowledge when something doesn’t feel right. What good comes of keeping my hand on a really hot pan? It doesn’t serve me. If anything I will feel worse. So I need to take action. Do something, create a plan, change my attitude and move forward.
I find that when a project is being led by people who are stressed and overwhelmed, or not sure what they really want, that’s how they tend to lead. It takes more patience and practice from me to not get sucked up into their energy.
I become more firm with my boundaries. No, I will not have a video call with you outside of my working hours because you have mismanaged your time and don’t feel it’s necessary to continue to respect mine.
Emails telling me to speed up force me to slow down. Because rushing will result in a poor job.
In these moments I have to remind myself that I am human. And that working all hours will not make me a more efficient worker.
So, if like me, perhaps you’ve taken too much on, said yes when it would have been better to say no and are now facing a project that you can’t wait to see the back of, here are some handy tips to get you through this:
Human first. Seriously. Rest, sleep, cook, work out, socialise, watch Schitt’s Creek (fyi I like SC but I don’t get the obsession over it…). Make time for being a human over being an insert-job-title-here.
Write a list of everything that is pissing you off about this project.
A) it will serve as a reminder of why you might not want to take on this type of work / work with this company again;
and B) once it’s out of your system you can then focus on creating a plan to attack it and just get the job done.
Make a plan. Break your tasks down. Be strict with your time. If you know that when you’re editing you need a three hour window to work intensely then block that time out.
The pomodoro technique is also really helpful for shorter chunks of time. It’s amazing what you can get done in 20 minutes or so.
Let go of your picture. Release any standards of excellence or high expectations you had for this project. Sometimes you just need to do the job for what it is. A job.
Quit. If you can. If that’s what you want. If it’s all got too much and it’s just not worth it to keep on trying. If you need permission to drop out, here it is 💛
Takeaways
BTS I just can’t stop listening to their music..or copying their dance moves
Flapjacks 👩🏾🍳 : Mix oats, dates, honey, a little coconut oil. Chill for 30 minutes. Bake for 10 - 15 min and voila! It makes a great brekkie or snack. Mine come out more as flatjacks but they’re still delish.
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