A significant portion of my full time job is issue escalation, as in my clients’ issues come to me after they’ve gone through every level of service and still haven’t been resolved. Clients also bring issues to me when they’re still at the first level of service and I don’t need to be involved.
The cool part about this role is that I have connections to every part of my company and a very good idea of how we do (most) things. It feels good to assemble teams to solve issues and to connect clients to the one person who can answer the question they have.
The not cool part about this is that SO MUCH of my job is people coming to me unhappy about something. Oops, I wasn’t even planning on writing that. It just came out.
What I was going to say is that the not cool part of this is that I really struggle with an unwarranted sense of urgency at work. When an issue comes in I want to resolve it ASAP and get it off my desk. Before ASAP, if possible.
But I can’t. Especially if I am relying on another person or several people for assistance and resolution. And you know how it is trying to get a group of people together.
[There is a lot of self talk going on at my home office – “wait to respond,” “this isn’t urgent,” “this can wait until tomorrow when so and so is available,” etc. And note, sometimes things ARE legitimately “this needs to be resolved now!” urgent.]
So, in a long roundabout way, I would like to announce that my vacation good vibes are gone and work stress is back. The vibes lasted a solid three weeks. I’m getting so many random issues thrown at me. Too many f*cks are now being given.
Deep breaths.
[And as I am rereading this before I post, it’s not lost on me that I struggle to sit with uncomfortable things at work, like I do with my emotions about non-work things too. Hmm.]
COMPLETELY unrelated, but what’s a post without a photo?! Yesterday was upper body day at the gym and a classmate told me “You look swole as f*ck! You look nice!” and it made me feel good!
I’m sorry for your work stress, but I have to say, there have been vacations where the high for me has worn off before the end of the first week back! I too need to handle the stress better—not that my job is nearly as stressful as yours! But I’m not good at letting the pressure roll off my back when it comes. Have to work on that.
We deserve more than a week!!! It sounds like we are very similar in that we have a hard time letting things be and not stressing about them. I believe in us! We will get better! And no need to compare, stress is stress! <3
I myself cannot figure out what is an emergency at my job and what is not. I treat everything as not an emergency and that seems to have worked out well for my mental health. LOL
That is a GREAT plan and one I may try. Unless it’s an actual fire or flood LOL!
I can relate unfortunately. The worst part is that because people know that they can come to you for help…well that increases the number of people who go to you for help. I always try to be very efficient at work – it’s better for me and the people I work with if I solve their problems quickly, and communication is easier if I respond right away instead of sitting on things…but guess what that also opens me up to…MORE WORK. I don’t have the solution but I know the problem.
Congrats on 3 weeks of good vibes…and here’s to your upcoming Race Weekend Vibes.
You COMPLETELY know the problem! I almost got into that when I mentioned they bring issues to me before they should – it’s because they know I will respond. So when I feel bad I’m taking what seems to me like a long time, I can remind myself, hey, at least I responded AT ALL and am working on this.
Thanks! I am working tomorrow in Denver and wish I wasn’t, but then it’s 4 days off!
I understand this feeling! And for me, I don’t want people to think I’m dropping the ball or their issue isn’t important to me. I want to be efficient and take care of their issue, but sometimes that isn’t possible if other departments/people/processes have to be involved.
But hey, three weeks is a good run at least???
EXACTLY. How do we politely say we care but we are waiting on people who take longer than we do? Ha ha.
It totally is!
You lasted longer than I did after my vacation! I made it about 10 minutes before I was back to being a stressed mess. I totally struggle with managing urgency. I know how to prioritize, but I hate having things hanging over my head. So I feel so much pressure to get everything done. I usually feel totally stressed and work like a maniac all morning and then burn out by afternoon
Oh no! I’m sorry it happened that fast! Your daily schedule sounds familiar LOL.
It’s really amazing how quickly we’re back into the stressful grind after a vacation… but it emphasizes how imperative vacations are for EVERYBODY (I don’t get people who sell their annual leave time. It’s not healthy!)
I am sure your job is rewarding – when you solve an issue – but also frustrating when you’re the person who gets all the frustration from people. You gotta have a thick skin.
P.S. Awesome shot. You look so strong.
OMG YES! I don’t understand people who get to use or lose status. How do they survive? I could not!
Exactly! You get me!
Thanks so much!
While my problem isn’t related to people asking me to solve problems, I am one of those people with a pathological need to help. This gets me on committees, in groups, and working with people whose work is tangentially related to mine. Which means less time to work on my own stuff. So I get you. Totally. Hang in there. Your marathon is coming up and that will shift your focus again!
Oh gosh. Props to you. Someone very close to me is like you and I don’t know how she does it. She seems miserable and stressed all the time.