Archive for the ‘work life’ Category
1 step forward, 4 steps back (or something like that)
Nov
For my job I manage a team of sales/customer service reps. For the past year and a half I have been managing a specialty team (as in, we do something special in the company). I have loved my specialty team. Seriously, the most hard working, dependable, mature, and fun group of people. All of them genuinely good people. Love them.
A week ago it was decided that I would be switched back to a “regular” team, due to several changes in the structure of the company. Sigh…
So, I am in the beginning stages of getting to know my new team, and I’m sure there are oodles of lovely people. But based off the exposure I’ve had with a few individuals so far things are not looking promising. Imagine that you have been teaching college students for the past while. Then suddenly, due to circumstances beyond your control, you are forced to teach 6th graders instead. Where you were once accustomed to having intelligent coversations and feeling productive, you are now playing babysitter as your student can’t figure out how to work his computer and he wants you to fix it.
Say it with me people: AWESOME.
The case of the missing motivation
Sep
Oh my. Sigh…What to do in such a situation? I seem to have lost my motivation, have you seen it? It’s actually gone missing for a couple of weeks. I keep thinking it will come back, like a rogue cat off for an adventure but returning home eventually. Perhaps a little mangled and worse for wear, but home nonetheless. Maybe my motivation got in a vicious fight with someone else’s stray motivation and is dead. It wasn’t very strong to begin with, poor thing.
It is especially apparent while I am at work that a very vital piece of me is missing. Today actually has been better than the last few. I’ve gotten a few things crossed off my list that were important. But I still tend to want to hide in my cubicle in hopes that I will blend in with the drab blue-gray walls and no one will know I’m here. It’s not a good way to do business. I do want to do better, really I do, but…blahhhh….
As I drive to work I seriously try to give myself a pep talk. It goes something like this: Ok, you know you have to go to work and there is no way around it, so you might as well make the best of it. It’s a good job! Really, it’s not so bad! Sure it seems as though you do the same thing day after day, after day, after day…but they treat you well and plus, you get paid! And woman, your family needs to eat! So perk up! Sit up straight! Slap a smile on your face! Put some spring in your step! All you have to do is buckle down, work hard for a few hours, and then you can go home to your lovely family. You can do it! You can do it…you can do it…you can do it…
Seriously, I’m not even joking you, I give myself that pep talk regularly. But is it doing any good? No. Although, maybe if I didn’t do it my performance would be even worse. A frightening thought. Probably best to keep doing it. Maybe it would be more effective out loud? Nah, too weird.
This lack of motivation is also applying to my exercise/healthy eating regime. Let me be more specific, my non-existent exercise/healthy eating regime. I can’t seem to get my jiggly butt on that treadmill, even though the thought of a firm backside is somewhat motivating. Just not motivating enough. Therein lies the problem.
Oh…motivation, come back! I can’t go on this way! I promise I’ll take better care of you! I’ll listen to you more, I swear! Just come back…please?
