Do you remember as kids how much fun it was to stand in the middle of the seesaw and tip from side to side. Sometimes our working lives with the seemingly constant change and movement feels a little bit like that seesaw. Consistently moving and trying to get the balance right. Have you ever stopped to ask yourself what blocks you can put under the different ends of the seesaw to provide stability in your life? What are the “blocks” for you that will allow you to stand a little bit more easily so that it won’t take nearly as much energy to remain upright? It is not much to ask to be able to get through the workday remaining upright.
These blocks may involve problem solving with your team about how you are getting things done. It might involve looking at the culture of your team what rules have you set up around communication, decision making, challenging conversations that ensure that people feel safe when they are at work. This might extend to how to incorporate gratitude into our workday and figuring out where is the joy for us? Perhaps as a team you can refocus on your well-being with walking meetings, a game of soccer at lunch time or make time for mindfulness during the workday.
The blocks might be personally the things that you know you need to incorporate into your home life when things heat up at work. Making sure that you are getting enough sleep and eating well, what sort of things will assist with these goals? Perhaps you make sure the weekend involves absolutely nothing or alternatively activities that you know always make you feel good. You might book in things that take your mind off the work seesaw like reading a good book or organising to play tennis with friends. Each one of us has different “blocks” to put under our individual seesaw that help us to find that stability. Unfortunately though sometimes it is difficult to find the space to think of these or book them in when we are in the thick of a busy life so we need to reflect ahead to time about when I feel I am on that seesaw what do I need to do.
As a kid the seesaw felt thrilling but as an adult constantly trying to regain solid footing can be exhausting and lead to burnout. So perhaps take some time when you know there is a big change at work or a significant deliverable is due or perhaps a lot of your team mates are on leave and you know that more of the work will be landing on your desk to have a think about what will help you to feel stable during this time. Ask yourself what are blocks I need under the seesaw to help me feel stable; relax my shoulders and be able to breathe out.