UNITED STATES—As one gets older, you start to realize in life there are things that you can control and there are things that you cannot control. I’ve come to realize the older that I get that I should not internalize stress. The more stress a person takes on the overall impact it has on your mental health and physical health as well. I mean can you imagine being placed in a situation where you feel like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders?
I’ve allowed that to happen to me for years, and just hearing so many people tell me to stop and just let things be; I have finally come to the realization that I have to breathe and let whatever may happen, just happen. I think this is a major issue when it comes to work. I’m a firm believer there are just people in the work environment who are lazy. No matter what you say, no matter what you do, they just are NOT going to work like you or other people.
There has been that argument time and time again that if you provide incentives (bonus, extended lunch breaks, special perks) it can push a person to do more, but I do not believe that argument one bit. When it comes to the work environment people are going to do as he or she pleases. The problem is when you’re in management, you find yourself in a pickle where you have to enforce company guidelines for people to do what it is they are paid to do.
I find it fascinating, but I’ve witnessed so people in management who just don’t care what others do. It is like are you realizing this person is busting his or her butt, while that person is barely breaking a sweat. It takes a toll on the overall morale of the company, and when you’re in management, you attempt to get others to see that, creating stress. I’m done with that stress because I’ve tried to take it on far too long and it hurts me more than it helps me.
Plain and simple, you tell people what their job entails and if they don’t do it, simply put they get suspended, wrote up or fired. There is no point in constantly trying to bend the rules, taking on a headache and then being forced to do the work of others because they failed to do it in the first place. There has to be consequences in life, do as you’re told and if you do not do it, then you’re out of a position.
I think work is the biggest stressor in life because it seems like no matter how hard you try to alleviate the stress that may come from work there always seems to be more and more. You have a limited time to do so much and you do as much as you can, and you still have spillage the next day because someone else did not or they were ‘unable’ to do their job. You feel the pressure from your boss to do your job and then it hits you, “I’m already doing my job. It’s the fact that I’m doing my job in addition to other people who failed to properly do their job.”
As Americans we can no longer do that, we have to pause and realize it is NOT your responsibility to do other people’s jobs especially when they are getting paid to do it. Make them pay the consequence of not doing their job, don’t take on that unnecessary stress to feel like you have to control all the faucets that are running at the company that you work for. Why? Is anyone else willing to do the same for you as you are doing for them? You probably already know that answer which speaks volumes.
At the same time, do not feel like you have to be forced into positions that you are not comfortable with. If it is something you do not want to do, make it clear to management that is not your cup of tea and bow out. If they are taken aback by the decision that is their problem, but you should NOT be forced to do something because no one else wants to do it. I did not ask to be placed in this position, so if I’m not requesting it, I’m NOT taking on this extra load of work if I don’t have to.
Written By Jason Jones
