Is Your Job Straining You?

Quick Tip: This article ends with a download link to the MS Excel template for my 10 item Employee Morale Guage Quiz, which you can customize for your use.

People who don’t love their jobs are likely to feel this way (i.e strained) more often. But I’ve also met others who love their jobs, but are being worn out by the work load.

If You’re Not Sure, Here Are a Few Symptoms That Could Suggest You Have This Problem

[NB: By the way, if you’ve been reading my blog a while, you likely already know it’s in your best interest to do work that you love – be it as an employee, or as entrepreneur. Life’s simply too short to live any other way.]

1. You’re Unable to Finish Tasks – They Keep Coming!

Do you feel that way? Like just as you breathe a sigh of relief that you’ve cleared outstanding tasks, new ones seem to arrive?

Maybe the requests come from your boss, your partner etc.

If that’s happening to you, then you’ll feel the strain…and the drain…mentally, as well as physically.

2. You Feel a Need to Escape

Even when you’re officially on break, do some people find something to bring your attention to?

If your phone’s not ringing, an email with an urgent headline beckons to you. And of course your office door. It never seems to stay shut!

Just when one person leaves and you try to get back to that paper/memo/brief you’re trying to finish, another person breezes in.

Even during your break time…it’s the same thing

Your loving wife thoughtfully packs your meals for you to eat in the office. But you’ve found it a smarter move to go away – far from the office – to do that.

But you eventually return. And as you approach the office, that – now familiar – feeling of dread washes over you. “Argh…here we go again!” you say to yourself.

Again…if that’s happening to you, then you’ll feel the strain…and the drain…mentally, as well as physically.

3. Sometimes You’re Unable to Find Leisure Hours – Even on Weekends

Leisure is so important to the well being of every human being.

Yet, when you’re free to do what you want with your time (i.e. after close of work hours) not much seems to change!

It’s either you find yourself staying back late into the night, or taking work home. Some people do this right through the weekend!

4. You Need to Take “Something” to Keep You Going

When 1 to 3 happen to you often, you’re bound to get to the limit of your natural ability to cope.

Some people start taking a” little something” to keep mind (and head) clear enough to continue.

Thick, black coffee, plus a few nice vitamin pills, and some others…

Just a little help to enable them cope with the pressure.

Not everyone gets that close to the edge…but some do.

The worst part is that most people rarely see themselves going through these phases. Indeed many talk about it, but rarely stop to wonder if they can have it better.

My argument is that YOU CAN have it better.

You don’t have to strain and drain yourself so much to earn a living.

You don’t have to go to work and emerge looking “worn out” 90% of the time…shaking your head, complaining about how hard it is to keep up at work.

If it’s that bad, something is likely NOT RIGHT!

What You Can Do

This kind of situation can make you dread coming to work – even if it’s a job you love.

And it’s suggestive of ONE major problem:

A poor organisation of the way work is done in your establishment. It’s either too few people are being asked to do too much work. Or certain trivial tasks are being put on the plate of people who already have plenty assigned to them…like you.

Either way, YOU need to speak up – to your boss, your partner or whoever else is in charge.

Demand a review of the way the workload is currently assigned. Also suggest a careful analysis of the need for tasks you identify can be passed to lower ranked or less busy persons.

Take action to free yourself up from excess tasks that ultimately limit your productivity, while killing your job enjoyment.

Fail to do this, and you could end up with a serious health issue – which, ironically, could even lead to a job loss!

Here’s Why You Should Take My Advice

I’ve been a multipreneur for over 2 decades.

In 24 hours, I get more work done that most people do in 1 week.

For instance, I’ve been writing at least ONE new article (500 to 2000 words average) every day – sometimes Sundays too – on this blog since 1st October 2013.

Many times I write them ahead – and simply schedule them to auto-publish on a future date.

Apart from that, I write for clients, and also develop custom spreadsheet software for clients in different industries.

I also provide support services – training users and/or client staff. This sometimes requires visiting client premises to conduct training.

And I do lots more – in my spare time e.g. writing information products; creating language guides, travel guides, giving talks, even researching and developing my own natural range of drinks, using Pineapple peels.

Yet I have NEVER needed to take ANY “little something” to keep going.

Not coffee. Not vitamins. No pills of any sort.

All I do is some smart physical exercising on a VERY regular basis. I also eat VERY well, and drink lots of water.

Plus (and this is important), I listen attentively to my body.

When it says “You NEED to rest”, I listen to it!!

Regarding my work, I apply ruthless focus in deciding tasks to give my serious attention. Everything else is weeded out, without sentiment.

I was like that as a high performing employee, and I’ve been that way for over 10 years now, as a multiprenerial business owner.

That’s why when you come across me – you’re very unlikely to see me looking drained, or worn out.

And you certainly will NOT find me complaining about work overload!

Read my bio below (and my resume here), to get a feel for the range of activities I’ve been – and am currently – engaged in, for some proof that back up my claims.