Young Workers, Take it From Us Old Folks...Just Stop
So I finished my series on commitments and I did better than I expected on all of those commitments. They are all baby steps, works in progress and to the average person it would seem as if not much has been accomplished, but trust me, there has been much progress. Today I'd like to switch gears....I'd like to impart my....ahem...wisdom to this younger generation of workers.
Young workers of this earth, there are 5 things that you must STOP doing in the workplace now. I mean like right now. These 5 things label you as irresponsible, unreliable and just bad people. I embellish of course, but not much. Let me explain. Last week I spent the entire week minus one day filming young employees DOING THEIR JOB. Most of them did an incredible job, but some of the interactions reminded me of the same mistakes I have made in the past, hell some of the I still make now. So here they are, my five things you all need to stop doing for the love of all that is sacred and pure:
1. Stop saying yes to look good.
If you can't make it to an appointment, say so. If you don't feel comfortable performing a task, respectfully decline said task. If you are trying to look good in front of a boss, or a coworker, but you have far too much on your plate, you will ultimately end up giving yourself a hernia. Sure the person will be disappointed in the short term, but your sanity is far more important and they will get over it. This is something I am AWFUL about and it has caused me significant turmoil in my long 38 years, so just stop doing it.
2. Stop working all the way up to your deadlines.
I know something about working up to your deadlines. I am a full time working mom/wife of a four year old/30 something year old working on her Phd. I know a little something about turning in a paper at 11:57pm when it is due at 12am. It is nerve wracking, it causes anxiety and it will ultimately take years off your life. At work, it pisses people off because likely someone has a deadline that is hinged on your deadline. If you find you are coming up on your deadline there are likely two causes. 1. you didn't start the task early enough, or 2. you have way too much crap going on....drop something. The culprit for me is number 2, but I am told that society looks negatively on dropping your child, so I carry on.
3. Stop FLAKING.
Waking up late, missing your alarm or getting a speeding ticket did not constitute reasonable excuses for not showing up when you say you will be there. Especially if you have a camera crew, 6 cast members and 3 boxes of donuts waiting for you. If you say you are going to be somewhere, just show up. If you don't want to do it, just say it....no one is going to judge you....all that much.
4. Stop discounting yourself a comparing yourself to others.
Sorry to tell you this cupcake but everyone is better than you at something. This doesn't mean that you are not still GREAT! Stop beating yourself up because you took longer at something, didn't deliver something as pretty or shiny as the next person, you aren't as pretty as someone or someone doesn't say those nice things about you that they said about her. Just stop! We are all ENOUGH. As long as you show up, you do your best and you feel good about your day....that's all that really matters. Trust me, someone is saying those nice things about you to someone else and its making that person feel like poop.
5. Stop, stop, stop apologizing or knowing something.
If you know something, shout it out! Not in an obnoxious sibling. I wanna beat your face. kind of way, but stop apologizing for being smart. Many of you young workers paid a lot of freaking money for that knowledge and a company out there hired you because of that knowledge you bought, so USE it! I am notorious for this, so I apologize for not heading my own advice, but I don't want to tell someone I know something because I feel like I am being arrogant. I need to stop feeling this way...you need to stop feeling this way. There are perfectly appropriate ways of telling someone they are wrong. You must use tact, you must be respectful and you must know the proper times and places, but you earned your knowledge....don't let it go to waste.
It is amazing the things you can learn on a photoshoot with the younger generation isn't it. Trust me in all my wisdom ant 38 LONG years on earth ;). You are all amazing shining stars, use your brightness for good.
~Amber
Young workers of this earth, there are 5 things that you must STOP doing in the workplace now. I mean like right now. These 5 things label you as irresponsible, unreliable and just bad people. I embellish of course, but not much. Let me explain. Last week I spent the entire week minus one day filming young employees DOING THEIR JOB. Most of them did an incredible job, but some of the interactions reminded me of the same mistakes I have made in the past, hell some of the I still make now. So here they are, my five things you all need to stop doing for the love of all that is sacred and pure:
1. Stop saying yes to look good.
If you can't make it to an appointment, say so. If you don't feel comfortable performing a task, respectfully decline said task. If you are trying to look good in front of a boss, or a coworker, but you have far too much on your plate, you will ultimately end up giving yourself a hernia. Sure the person will be disappointed in the short term, but your sanity is far more important and they will get over it. This is something I am AWFUL about and it has caused me significant turmoil in my long 38 years, so just stop doing it.
2. Stop working all the way up to your deadlines.
I know something about working up to your deadlines. I am a full time working mom/wife of a four year old/30 something year old working on her Phd. I know a little something about turning in a paper at 11:57pm when it is due at 12am. It is nerve wracking, it causes anxiety and it will ultimately take years off your life. At work, it pisses people off because likely someone has a deadline that is hinged on your deadline. If you find you are coming up on your deadline there are likely two causes. 1. you didn't start the task early enough, or 2. you have way too much crap going on....drop something. The culprit for me is number 2, but I am told that society looks negatively on dropping your child, so I carry on.
3. Stop FLAKING.
Waking up late, missing your alarm or getting a speeding ticket did not constitute reasonable excuses for not showing up when you say you will be there. Especially if you have a camera crew, 6 cast members and 3 boxes of donuts waiting for you. If you say you are going to be somewhere, just show up. If you don't want to do it, just say it....no one is going to judge you....all that much.
4. Stop discounting yourself a comparing yourself to others.
Sorry to tell you this cupcake but everyone is better than you at something. This doesn't mean that you are not still GREAT! Stop beating yourself up because you took longer at something, didn't deliver something as pretty or shiny as the next person, you aren't as pretty as someone or someone doesn't say those nice things about you that they said about her. Just stop! We are all ENOUGH. As long as you show up, you do your best and you feel good about your day....that's all that really matters. Trust me, someone is saying those nice things about you to someone else and its making that person feel like poop.
5. Stop, stop, stop apologizing or knowing something.
If you know something, shout it out! Not in an obnoxious sibling. I wanna beat your face. kind of way, but stop apologizing for being smart. Many of you young workers paid a lot of freaking money for that knowledge and a company out there hired you because of that knowledge you bought, so USE it! I am notorious for this, so I apologize for not heading my own advice, but I don't want to tell someone I know something because I feel like I am being arrogant. I need to stop feeling this way...you need to stop feeling this way. There are perfectly appropriate ways of telling someone they are wrong. You must use tact, you must be respectful and you must know the proper times and places, but you earned your knowledge....don't let it go to waste.
It is amazing the things you can learn on a photoshoot with the younger generation isn't it. Trust me in all my wisdom ant 38 LONG years on earth ;). You are all amazing shining stars, use your brightness for good.
~Amber
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