This is Laura Lee Rose, business and success coach that specializes in time management, career management and work/life balance strategies. Recently I received the questions: “Work is getting too hard, but I enjoy the job. What should I do? Should I stick it out or leave?”
Although I don’t know enough about this particular situation to answer in detail — I do know that if you don’t do something different, things will get worse.
On the other hand, I believe you can have it all. Here are some tips to experiment with:
- Clearly articulate what you really like about your current position.
- Find ways to increase your focus on those aspects that you enjoy.
- Find ways to delegate and train others on the tasks that are not aligned with your individual career goals.
- Acknowledge that the MUST DO items will always get done (otherwise they are not really MUST DO items). Also acknowledge that you can’t do everything. You can only do your best.
- If some of those “MUST DO” items are not aligned with your individual career goals, be transparent with your manager. Express that you want to always give your best. And you are unable to do your quality best on this particular item.
- Be transparent with co-workers and managers on what you are working on and what you are not currently working on. Be transparent on (and realistic about) when you will get to things, and what you are prioritizing very low. If they feel that the things you are not working on are important — it will get assigned to someone else. If it doesn’t get assigned to someone else — then it’s not that important. (See Rule 4).
Read Don Ruiz’s The Four Agreements (quick summary below):
- Be impeccable with your word (Say way you mean, and do what you say)
- Don’t take anything personally
- Don’t assume or judge
- Always do your best.