I Didn’t Want to Come Back to Work Today
Anyone else? 🖐 This isn't because I don't love my job, company, or coworkers but because over the last couple of weeks I finally found REST. I stopped the hustle. I took a beat. I slept in. I may have had chocolate for breakfast one day. Maybe two. I reflected on the past year and what I want from 2023. I found peace.
Who would want to give that up and throw themselves back into work? Not me.
However, I rarely think in the binary. So instead of concluding that having either my foot on the gas pedal or the break as my only two ways to live, I instead have chosen to envision a new way forward entirely.
What would life look like if I slowed down? What if I didn't skip lunch on my more hectic days? What if I upheld the boundaries I set and said "no" or "I'm at capacity" more often? What if I checked in with myself more consistently instead of burning myself out until I inevitably hit a wall again?
I don't remember the last time I got to Friday evening and had enough energy left in me to do anything other than sit on the couch to binge some Netflix. But I don't want this for my life anymore. I don't want this for YOUR life anymore.
So now what? I'm not sure. I'm still figuring it out. But for starters, I'm putting some things into practice to get me started. These aren't New Years resolutions, these are instead what I'm calling non-negotiables.
➕ I will take my lunch every day – no exceptions
➕ My team and I have added a numerical scale to our morning check-ins to rate how we're feeling (we find this easier than trying to always find the words to describe our mental, emotional, and physical state each morning and it allows us to show up and support each other)
➕ I will be, put simply, working less (thanks Milka and Grace for being down with, and excited about, a 4 day work week at Different DEI)
I'll give y'all updates on my journey to finding balance. I'll also share any slip ups I may have along the way. It might look messy. It might take me awhile to unlearn my social conditioning and shake my default tendencies. BUT, it also might be really freakin' freeing.
Wishing you all rest and resilience this year.
– Alex, Co-Founder of Different
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