WHICH END OF THE STICK DO YOU WANT?

You ever heard of the saying, "I got the short end of the stick"? I've heard it all my life, it seems. Just today though, I was training a client that happened to use that reference. I then thought about how it applied to this client's situation through this client's eyes. Basically, the client felt out of control if not always in complete control. Unable to juggle stress coming in several different directions if each of these directional stresses weren't micromanaged. Feeling overwhelmed and overworked while others seemed to be having more leisure time and doing less work. Therefore, receiving the short of the stick.

I'll address micromanagement and Type A personalities at a later date. After all, I feel quite qualified, being a Type A myself. What I want to address here is the correct usage of the statement so that a clear picture and possible understanding can be reached. Does one truly "get" the short end of the stick? All things considered, I think a more appropriate statement would be, "I took the short end of the stick".

Would this client be as apt to feel cheated and overworked if when planning out one's day a block of leisure time was alloted? Fill in that leisure time with anything appropriate and necessary. I submit that in fact this client would feel less stress, less cheated and accomplish more by taking the essential breaks necessary to rejuvenate.

I can tell you first hand that I am over worked and under payed without question, as most of us are. I expend a great portion of energy working with my clients and sifting through research to educate myself and pass that information along to my clients to further their success. I do however, allocate time to eat well and exercise. Recently, I've allowed for a bit more "down time" which I've filled with brainstorming walks. These walks have allowed me to sort through my thoughts and talk them through with my partner while getting away from that which takes up most of my time and provides the largest mental drain.

These walks not only get me away and help me to change gears, but they also give me more energy to go back to my work with more perspective and more juice in my tank. And no one handed me this time, I took it. I took the time for me. So next time you feel someone handed you "the short end of the stick", remember it's you that most likely reached out and grabbed it.

For more details on how to grab the "other end of the stick", pull your passive hands out of your pockets and type in Habitsforming.com on your keyboard regularly to find out how to more frequently reach for the "long end".

Until next time...Look long!

Rochelle Gravance