The Dichotomy of Giving a Damn

Whether you are looking to get ahead at your job or make a difference in yours or someone else’s life, few traits can help you reach your goal like “Giving a Damn”. However, careful attention must be paid to prevent burnout from derailing your dreams.

The Power of Taking Ownership

Taking ownership means accepting responsibility for your actions. It means you treat a project like it is your own, and seeing it through to the finish. In a work environment it means taking the lead and not making excuses.

In relationships it manifests itself as shouldering the load when you see someone in need or going that extra mile to help someone out.

When it comes to your personal situation, your environment, your health, and your finances, it means embracing that your circumstances are within your control. It means that you understand that the outcomes you receive flow from the decision your make.

I have seen firsthand its benefits.

Early on in my career I adopted an attitude of: “It’s my responsibility to get this right.” This involved saying “yes” to as many projects or work requests as possible. Who wants to handle this client meeting? My hand shot up. “This project has a tight timeline. Who wants to run with it?” Me again. This often meant I had to chase down my own coworkers to be able to meet client deadlines. Perhaps most importantly, I placed a high emphasis on returning calls, emails, and just otherwise being responsive.

I quickly rose through the ranks at my consulting firm, going from a greenhorn fresh out of school to managing projects within a year. Salary raises that consistently outpaced the company average. After 4 years and managing over 400 projects, I was recruited away to a higher paying local government job.

Using the same approach I quickly gained the trust of my superiors and elected officials. My opinion was sought for issues that were well outside my training. I was named heir-apparent to replace my boss when he eventually retired. I was honored as one of the regions “30 leaders in their 30s” a few weeks after turning 30.

Ultimately, I was re-recruited by my previous consulting firm with a decent pay raise and more flexible schedule. It’s been 3 years and I’ve been told I may have the option to acquire an ownership interest in the company soon.

It’s clear as day to me that this approach works. I’m not the technical wizard that other engineers are and I lack a graduate degree which is common to have in my field. I don’t have the charisma the top business development folks carry. I am where I am because I am dependable. I consistently give a high effort.

A Victim of Your Own Success

Taking ownership is a sword with two sides, both equally sharp. It takes a high level of effort to consistently care. Additionally, frustration can set in from seeing others surrounding you fail to adhere to your standards. Lastly, there’s the old saying:

“If you want something done, give it to a busy person.”

Becoming “over busy” is almost inevitable. Your managers and coworkers know they can count on you and they take advantage. Clients reach out directly to you because they trust you will handle their needs. When you combine the rising workload with a reluctance to delegate (borne from a lack of confidence in others to handle issues with the proper level of care), a toxic mix of stress and being overwhelmed is almost certain.

Just as I’ve witnessed the benefits of “Giving a Damn” so too have I felt the dark side. Despite my seemingly upward trajectory, stress has played a large role in each of my job changes. I seem to work a job until I can’t take it anymore then move on. To this point, I’ve been fortunate enough to move up the pay scale with each move. My current position is no different than the last two.

I keep finding myself chronically busy. My frustration grows with co-workers over time. While I like them well enough, being let down repeatedly wears me down. I lose confidence that others can handle their own work and, as a result I cling to tasks that should be delegated. This cycle keeps feeding itself. By not handing things off, others miss out on valuable experience that would allow them to meaningfully contribute.

How to Stave Off Burnout

Look, if you’ve read this far, you can see that I am far from qualified to tell anyone how to avoid burnout. In fact I seem to be flirting with, or currently experiencing it myself.

That said, according to the Mayo Clinic, these are the signs of burnout:

Have you become cynical or critical at work?
Do you drag yourself to work and have trouble getting started?
Have you become irritable or impatient with co-workers, customers or clients?
Do you lack the energy to be consistently productive?
Do you find it hard to concentrate?
Do you lack satisfaction from your achievements?
Do you feel disillusioned about your job?
Are you using food, drugs or alcohol to feel better or to simply not feel?
Have your sleep habits changed?
Are you troubled by unexplained headaches, stomach or bowel problems, or other physical complaints?

Mayo Clinic –https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/burnout/art-20046642

Oh boy, I found myself nodding to most of these. Eeek. Looks like I have some work to do.

From my research it seems the consensus to preventing burnout comes down to the following:

• Try to find work that is meaningful to you. Analyze your job and get a clear picture of your responsibilities and look to delegate as much of the stuff that frustrates you as possible.
• Be open about your concerns with your manager and coworkers.
• Try to find a balance between work and relaxing, enjoyable activities
• Help others
• Take care of your mind and body by eating right, exercising, and practicing mindfulness.

My thoughts on this: For all that is good and holy… use your vacation! Approximately 50% of Americans don’t use their paid vacation. This time away can allow your mind to get back to neutral and let you get some perspective on your situation. I’ve been bad at this in years past, but I have resolved to enjoy the full benefit of my paid vacation this year and onward.

I also have been making a strong effort to eat better and exercise more. On the nutrition side I’ve been following, albeit loosely, the Slow Carb diet in combination with Intermittent Fasting. I’ve been trying to get at least a good walk 3 or more days per week. Recently, I’ve taken to waking up early and walking the dog. Early returns are that I feel more relaxed and energetic after a walk, so I definitely feel its a good addition to start my days off right.

In Closing

Consistently “Giving a Damn”, is a sure fire way of making a positive impression, and giving yourself a leg up on career advancement. The key is to find a workable balance and be on the lookout for signs of burnout. And if you feel you are drifting into burnout, then take it seriously and address the situation. Your grip on your goals may loosen a bit, but don’t lose it altogether.

And with that, I suppose I will take some of my own medicine. I have a family vacation coming up and I think I will take the week off from blogging. Thanks for reading and I will check back in two weeks!