Work had a survey today - what do you do to retain your emotional resilience. The fact that they even ask it, means that somewhere someone has gone off the deep end and they know they have been working us too hard. We are working too many hours and experiencing a lot of frustration. We have been doing so since June 2006 - some folks even longer.
At my height - which I hope to never return - was an 18 hour day. Couple that with a 2 hour commute (1 hr each way) and you have a mental patient. I have known others to do more - pull all nighters. These aren't isolated - they are banked in a steady stream of 14 and 16 hour days - no weekend breaks either. From New Years thru Memorial Day I had about 5 days off - total.
I don't mind 'giving it all' and getting a job completed by extraordinary efforts. It is exhilarating and something to be proud of. But to labor at extraordinary hours, super effort and sacrificing family, friends, sleep, down time, laundry, housekeeping, chores, school, social gatherings and countless other things I am too tired to remember... for no achievement, no end, no promotion, no kudos, no sense of accomplishment... well, it bugs me.
Don't get me wrong - I love my job, love being employed, am excited about the role I play in bringing a brand new airplane to market, have a deep sense of pride in the company I work for, but I know it is not my sole purpose in life. It needs to be in perspective. My purpose in life has more to do with the lives I shape and the humans I love and love me back.
I have to also (of course, you know me) go deeper and ask the 'hard' questions. How many of my golden years am I burning in the flame of the candle that I am burning at both ends to work the late hours? How much closeness and memories and cherished times with my loved ones am I selling to Boeing for overtime hours? How much of a toll is this secretly and silently taking on my health? Will my face ever recover from looking so tired? The pounds added by sitting, and sitting, and sitting, and sitting - will they ever leave? What about the stress and pressure at work - what is that doing to my brain, my heart, my veins, my mind...?
Will Hawaii - in January - remove any of the stress? How long will it take for it to come back?
Is there a positive spin? I think so - lovely new home, buying what we need when we need it, paying bills on time, health insurance, sports fees and supplies, vacations - a new car soon - hopefully.
But sometimes I miss my family.
And they told us today to plan on working thru the holidays. Again.
So - how do I keep my emotional resilience?
Well, I am open for suggestions!
Thursday, September 13, 2007
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