It's been very overwhelming at work lately and I'm near breakdown. Am not managing things well and am feeling totally burnt out.
You see, I have a very small team of 2 permanent staff and 2 interns and one of the permanent staff had gone on maternity leave. The person hired to cover the maternity is a good person, but being new and unfamiliar with the company processes and culture, I have to many a times double up and guide him in his daily work. At times, I need to go through minute details with him such as selecting photos and videos for an event video (cos he cannot recognise who's who and which photos or videos to select).
My other perm staff is also managing another global initiative that involves hundreds of stakeholders and my leadership presence and guidance is heavily needed. And as if this is not enough, I'm also almost single-handedly organising a global summit - held virtually for the first time - that involves hundreds of key leaders across the group entities around the world. And I've to do everything - from conceptualizing to designing to co-ordinating to invitations etc.
To make it worst, I have been placed on a leadership program that takes up almost half my time at work. Too many things going on and all these are happening at the same time. And it’s one major event after another, non-stop since the start of the year. And my boss recently "volunteered” me to be part of a project team to organise some farewell for a retiring top management leader. I told her I cannot cope and am totally overwhelmed as it is, and that I request to be taken of this new project. I added that I am currently feeling totally burnt out.
And her response?
- I will let you off for now. Once your other project ends, I will rope you in again.
and to my burnt out, she simply said:
- Don't stress yourself.
Erm... frankly, it’s most discouraging to have a boss say this like as though I’m the one that’s causing my current state of being. I don’t usually, or rather, have never raise any white flags until now. And for her to so nonchalantly and insensitively wave off my shout out for help, it’s most discouraging. I almost wanted to just throw two days ago when she said all these.
Dear Jeff,
ReplyDeleteJia You
I feel you. I have been working late, rushing for deadlines such as revision of SOP, new admin support who was on board recently, staff appraisals (one want a grade A - how could it be? with no significant achievements).
Not to mention, presentation of stats where my CEO could not understand as the virtual meeting was overrun by 45 mins (with a non-existent time keeper).
I'm going for gym classes for to gain my sanity. There are occasions where I had trouble following the movements of the instructor, esp if he is a eye candy (ok, Im shallow). The workouts were a good stress reliever.
I'm popping in extra multi-vit, swissoats to keep up my energy level. Many of a time, I had lunch in front of my PC.
I'm on TCM (cupping) and it helps.
There is so much to do, with so little time.
Try using lavender oils during bedtime. It helps.
(hugs +++).
kg
Hopefully you'll be done with this project soon and can get some R&R
ReplyDeleteBe at peace.... We will survive. A few scratches here and there and a few plates fewer in the air. Sometimes you just have to let a few plates drop before anyone cares. We've juggled so long that everyone assumes the juggling is the norm and we can do it. So let them know it isn't. At least my boss sympathises although his response to my white flag "I think I would have walked if I were you..." Did not help my mood at all. But I know he meant well.
ReplyDeleteSo deep breath.... You can get through this...
Thanks KG.
ReplyDeleteThanks RB. It’s been one major project after another for quite sometime...
ReplyDeleteThanks Dazza, Dropping the ball might be a good idea but the stakes are super high for me as my projects nearly always involve the top management staff from across the group... but yeah, I know what you mean.
ReplyDelete