Feeling overwhelmed with all the things you have to do? If so, you are not alone. Blurry limits between work and home have exacerbated the pressure and anxiety to get things done. For most of us, it’s been a challenge to work remotely and maintain boundaries between work time and down time, and to be present with our loved ones without thinking about our endless to-do list from work. In this blog, I share three tips for working under pressure while reconnecting with your motivation.
1. Don’t underestimate the power of your values.
In one of those days where I felt overwhelmed, when I was in office, I was talking with a good friend of mine. She told me: ‘Don’t underestimate the power of your values’. At the time it wasn’t clear to me what she meant. With time, I understood.
Your values are the essence of who you are. The things you stand for, your non-negotiables. It’s like drawing the lines of a football field. Anything outside those limits is not valid. Having the courage to stand for those values, for the things that you believe in and that are worth defending, gives you power — more than you could imagine. It’s your compass for when you have to make important decisions, prioritize things and deal with uncertainty and new challenges.
If you haven’t thought about this, take some time to reflect on what those values are for you. How your role and responsibilities fit within these values. These principles will guide you when things seem like a mess.
2. Identify your why
This is your secret weapon, so don’t skip it. This is what recharges your battery. The energy for the good and, particularly, for the bad days. In other words, this is the reason you go to work every morning. Those of us working in the public sector are lucky. When we chose the public service, we also made a life choice. The spirit to serve, and to make our country a better place is probably what brought you here. It’s about the possibility to do something for the greater good, to change people’s lives. When you feel down or overwhelmed, remember this!
You know those days when you need to share with someone your frustrations? I had lunch with a friend of mine on one of those days. At the end, she wrote on a sticky note the number 16 and gave it to me to have on my desk. I was as confused as you are now. ‘Why do I need a 16 in front of me?’ I thought. What I need is more time, more resources, people working together more, etc., etc. She then said, when you are having problems or feeling overwhelmed just remember that you are working for 16 million Ecuadorians. That’s what matters. Her wise advice summarized in a number my why, and that gave me focus and energy when I found it hard to find. What would be something easy to do, powerful, that you can have near your desk for those days when you need more motivation?
3. Take care of yourself.
As I’ve told you before, I wasn’t great at taking care of myself. I wish I would have been better for me and my team. This is one of the biggest lessons from the pandemic for me. The need to take care of ourselves and to check on each other’s wellbeing. If you don’t take care of yourself, no one else will!
What you do everyday matters, it impacts people’s lives. But this is not a one-time thing, we need you for the long haul. The best version of you. If your excuse is that you have no time, check section three of this guide here on how you can start five minutes at a time.
Yes, everything is important. And yes, there is more than we can handle in a day. But, running fast on a treadmill won’t take you anywhere. As my dad used to always tell me: ‘Slowly, I’m in a hurry’. Take your time. Sleep well, eat healthy and don’t forget to connect to the people you love, that’s a treasure. (If you want to read more about how to start doing more and regain your motivation here).
Final thoughts
Very early in my career, I learned that what you do is not who you are. Having a particular role or title, regardless of its importance, doesn’t define you as a person. So don’t forget about who you are, what you stand for and why doing what you do matters. The impact you can have when that is clear is bigger than you can imagine. To go the extra mile, you need the best version of yourself, so take care of you because no one else will do it for you.
I hope these three lessons I learned, and wish I had articulated sooner, help you in your current journey.
Photo by Dunamis Church on Unsplash
