Building Momentum and Defining the Finish Line.
B.U.D.S | Newsletter 06 |
This post was inspired by one of my brothers. Keep pushing Beesh.
“The finish line ain’t the finish line.”
V.K.
This week, I want to discuss a topic in mental health centred around work and stress. Now, it’s obvious, that work can negatively impact one’s mental health. There are a million and one factors at play: shitty bosses, shitty staff, burnout, long hours, commuting, drudgery, pressure to perform, you name it.
In my tenure as a pharmacist, I’ve met plenty of individuals from all walks of life, that have had work negatively impact their mental health. Patterns begin to emerge. A few inflection points I’ve noticed are when an individual receives a promotion, starts a new role or returns to work after a prolonged leave of absence. During these times, a lot of anxiety and stress can creep up into your life.
Sprint or Stumble
That feeling when you start your new role can be overwhelming. You’re the new kid on the block. You want to prove your worth, not only to your boss but to others on your team. You’re constantly learning and adjusting on the fly.
Sometimes, you have a grace period. Three months to settle in. Your manager and teammates help you acclimate and show you the ropes. Other times, you may not have that luxury. Deadlines are looming and you’re expected to hit the ground running.
Regardless of your situation, there’s pressure to perform. Period.
When I look back at my career, I had my fair share of struggles with anxiety and work. In May 2019, I took my current position at The Compounding Centre. It was a huge shift in my career. I got a significant bump in salary, but it was a completely different setting. The amount of work per shift almost doubled. It was fast-paced and my boss, at the time, was a drill sergeant. He demanded perfection and wasn’t afraid to cut me off if I wasn’t up to his standard. I stumbled out the gate.
If you’re feeling the stress of your promotion, or pondering calling it quits, I’d like to offer some solace and insights. The first is from James Clear, author of Atomic Habits. I came across this insight from his newsletter, last month.
"Be ruthless about what you ignore. Time, energy, and resources are so precious. You have to be ferocious about cutting your priorities—more than you realize and certainly more than is comfortable.
You can only deeply commit to a few things. One or two? Maybe three?
Every pretty good, sorta nice, kinda fun thing you abandon is like shedding a weighted vest that lets you move at top speed. You were so busy focusing on how much you could carry, you never realized you could run this fast."
In 2019, after my initial struggles, I had to switch gears. What saved me? I focused on doing what I did best, patient-centred care. Everything else came second. I found ways to delegate minor administrative tasks, and I adapted and quickly improved my technical skills (becoming more efficient at signing scripts, and checking blister packs). Instead of trying to do it all, I honed in on the most important aspect of the job and made sure I was the best at it. In the end, it worked out for me.
Regardless of your situation, when you prioritize, delegate and ditch the irrelevant, you can swing momentum in your favour. You find your legs, hit your stride, and before you know it, you’re in full sprint. Run Forest Run!
The Finish Line
When my clients suffer from work-induced stress and anxiety, I like to throw a few curveballs in my counsel. I’ll ask “What do you actually do?” or “In 5-10 words, what’s your impact?…”
The goal is to help them detach themselves from their “job.” Most of the time, the work itself isn’t the source of their anxiety. Sometimes it’s how they identify with their job, anchoring their reputation or personality to their title. Other times, their anxiety stems from expectations, deadlines, sheer volume of work, and pressure to perform. Remember, anxiety is rooted in the future, of which we have no control.
You have to master the art of letting go.
To help plant this seed, I like to reflect on a quote from the founder of Nike, Phil Knight. Although it’s about running, the metaphor is important.
“For that matter, few ideas are crazy as my favorite thing, running. It’s hard. It’s painful. It’s risky. The rewards are few and far from guarenteed. When you run around an oval track, or down an empty road, you have no real destination. At least, none that can fully justify the effort. The act itself becomes the destination. It’s not just that there’s no finish line; it’s that you define the finish line. Whatever pleasures or gains you derive from the act of running, you must find them within. It’s all in how you frame it, how you sell it to yourself……. Whatever comes, just don’t stop.”
Phil Knight. Source: Shoe Dog.
You can tell Phil has dabbled in zen. Just replace the concept of running with work. Vocation. Career. Your life’s work. Defining what it means and why it matters can be overwhelming. However, there’s solace in the fact that you get to define the terms. Take a lesson from the Dali Lama. He once said:
The true worth of an action is not measured by its success or failure, but by the motivation behind it.
In the end, the work changes, but it never stops. Once you hit your target, get a big bonus, get promoted or make a huge leap, you’re resetting the goal-posts.
But when you dive into your work with passion and commitment, you may find what you’re looking for. Remember that success isn’t the end game, because it’s always defined by others. Instead, focus on your work and commit to walking your own path, and maybe, you’ll find satisfaction. And that is a finish line worth chasing.
You got this. Much love.
SG.
Build. Understand. Discipline. Stillness. “B.U.D.S” is written by Dr. Shawn Gill - a pharmacist and Father of two boys. During the day, he works as a deprescribing pharmacist, helping patients get off drugs, safely and effectively. At night, he writes this newsletter. B.U.D.S is a community that's focused on inspiring individuals to take account of their health and wellness, as well as reverse the over-pharmaceuticalization of our everyday lives. If you’d like to support this mission, please subscribe below. Much love.