At a rate of knots
I’m coming to think that expectations put on any given individual at work is becoming ridiculous.
I’m hearing people tell me they are working 13-hour days, all weekend, and severely putting their health and family life at risk. Others working part time, but really putting in full time effort. Risking their mental and physical health.
I can see the appeal for individuals because of wanting to do well, be good, be useful and achieve. It can even feel exciting and a huge buzz. My issue is that even under those circumstances of perceived positivity, that buzz is still overriding the fact admission of health and relationships suffering.
It’s easy to put the onus on an organisation as responsible for overworking people, but it’s individuals who run the organisation. The organisation is made up of lots of one’s. These individuals are in the same trap. Over-committing and over-expecting of self and others.
Who made up these rules?
Why are we letting this happen? I believe it’s because like no other time in our lives, we have limitless access to information. The more we consume, the more we know, the bigger the goals the more we want to impact and change.
It all comes from a good place.
But it doesn’t mean that we have to do it all and do it all right now. We can stem the flow and choose wisely.
We each have a responsibility to manage ourselves and influence others in a healthy way. Business outcomes are important but to what end? Negatively impacting relationships? Lives? Families? Health? Fulfilment?
The systems by which we expect people to operate in need to take care of them. Not run them ragged scrambling to achieve the almost impossible because we aren’t taking time to assess, purposefully choose and appropriately plan.
It starts with you. The leader. Step out for a moment and ask yourself, what are you really wanting to impact or achieve and conversely what is reaction or a fear?
Lately I feel I’ve been asking lead teams to step out, slow down and simplify.
Perhaps that’s a good mantra for us all.
