I was at a chiropractor appointment the other day and was asked by the technician asked if I had sneaked out of work to come to the appointment.
Huh?
I was momentarily confused until I remembered the (generally) widespread reality that most people have to “sneak around” or hide their day-to-day needs if they conflict with traditional – or let’s face it, not-so-traditional – work hours.
I thought covid’s massive forced-remote-work set-up killed this bit of ridiculousness? Apparently not.
There are two contributors to this reality. First, and most obvious, the leaders, bosses, co-workers, etc., who explicitly set and uphold rules or expectations that hold us captive or who convey disappointment, annoyance, judgment, etc., in the absence of firm rules that do so.
And here’s the part you’re not going to love - the second is us. We are the other contributors to this reality when we sneak, hide, or pretend we do nothing but work work work during the times we manage and take care of ourselves (like the full-grown adults we are) “during work hours”.
It’s never fun to hear we’re part of our own problem, but the upside is that when we are, we can 100% do something to change that part because we are fully in charge of ourselves.
No one wants to be the first to step off the hamster wheel. But for better or worse, that’s exactly what an important part of the next evolution of our work structures will require. If we continue to hide the ways we take care of ourselves, hold boundaries, or keep ourselves balanced, we will simply perpetuate this old system that says it owns us during a given set of hours.
Are you getting the results you committed to getting? Are you fulfilling the promises and requirements you agreed to? These are the questions to focus on – not, are you there from 9-5? (or more likely, 8-7) – to move toward creating healthier systems where we can bring our best, most healthy and engaged selves to do our best at work.
The next time you find yourself figuring out how you can “sneak in” that appointment (or take that run or have a meditation break)…consider what momentum you might create if you were to boldly – and openly – care for yourself the same way you care for your work…
