Getting Re-Energized, Revitalized and Maybe a Little Happy
I was going to title this a Good News Friday post. But it's more than that.
I've been getting burned out lately. I don't really feel like interpreting and it's visible in my product. Actually, it's more than that. It's not that I don't feel like it at all. It's that I'm distracted. I'm inundated with deadlines and paperwork for various activities and school related requirements. I'm overwhelmed with overdue dental, orthodontist, and just about every other kind of doctor my kids need appointments for. I'm sinking in paperwork related to the care of my mother. I'm in a relationship that I love but one that requires time and effort (not a complaint). It used to be that work was a relief from all of that. When I was working I developed tunnel vision (or tunnel feeling?). The outside distractions turned off and all was good with the world.
As my "distractions" become more severe and require more emotion and brain activity, the ability to shut them out diminishes. I chalked that up to interpreting burnout. It's not the first time I've felt it but it's been a while.
I might have been wrong.
It's not really professional burnout. It's a life burnout. I know I need a break but that's not happening any time soon. No one would get my kids after school or make sure my mom had the right meds on the right day. There is no one else to pick up the slack, a fact that I hate.
Then something good happened.
I worked my ass off this week. I worked two back-to-back conferences that were educational and interesting. It wasn't a ton of hands-in-the-air work but it was all interesting. I worked with interpreters who have my back all the time and understand how to team. I worked with a client who made me laugh and made going to work fun. I have never valet parked so much in one week. I felt like a grown up.
So here it is, Friday, and I really want to take a nap. But my brain won't stop racing around. I have some ideas about what I want to do next in my life. I have some examples of what I can do with my company. I have all sorts of ideas! Now I need to win the lottery so I can do it all.
I've been getting burned out lately. I don't really feel like interpreting and it's visible in my product. Actually, it's more than that. It's not that I don't feel like it at all. It's that I'm distracted. I'm inundated with deadlines and paperwork for various activities and school related requirements. I'm overwhelmed with overdue dental, orthodontist, and just about every other kind of doctor my kids need appointments for. I'm sinking in paperwork related to the care of my mother. I'm in a relationship that I love but one that requires time and effort (not a complaint). It used to be that work was a relief from all of that. When I was working I developed tunnel vision (or tunnel feeling?). The outside distractions turned off and all was good with the world.
As my "distractions" become more severe and require more emotion and brain activity, the ability to shut them out diminishes. I chalked that up to interpreting burnout. It's not the first time I've felt it but it's been a while.
I might have been wrong.
It's not really professional burnout. It's a life burnout. I know I need a break but that's not happening any time soon. No one would get my kids after school or make sure my mom had the right meds on the right day. There is no one else to pick up the slack, a fact that I hate.
Then something good happened.
I worked my ass off this week. I worked two back-to-back conferences that were educational and interesting. It wasn't a ton of hands-in-the-air work but it was all interesting. I worked with interpreters who have my back all the time and understand how to team. I worked with a client who made me laugh and made going to work fun. I have never valet parked so much in one week. I felt like a grown up.
So here it is, Friday, and I really want to take a nap. But my brain won't stop racing around. I have some ideas about what I want to do next in my life. I have some examples of what I can do with my company. I have all sorts of ideas! Now I need to win the lottery so I can do it all.
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