Taking Too Much

Squirrels don’t kill trees.

I have a large maple tree outside of my office window. During the spring, I get to watch the squirrels feast on the new buds. No matter how much the squirrels eat, that maple tree is still full of leaves and beautiful all summer long.

The squirrels get their fill and don’t kill the tree.

That tree has been on this planet a long time too.

How much do you take? Take from your employees? Take from your co-workers? How many times do you go back to people asking for more? More work? More time?

Spin it around and ask how much is taken from you? Do you put in long hours, are you checking email at night, or do you work on vacation?

What is the coming problem when too much is taken? Burnout, exhaustion, or resignation?

Are people frustrated or angry? Are co-workers arguing or being difficult to work with?

Pay attention to the signs that you or your team are ‘dying’; that too much is being taken.

If we do pay attention, we can have high output and a strong team, just like the maple tree full of leaves, beautiful year after year.

Don’t expect people to know that they are burning out or to speak up if they feel the life force draining from their soul.

There is a lot of cultural pressure to help out, work hard, and get the job done. That pressure can keep people from speaking up even when it is actually harming them.

The maple tree doesn’t talk to the squirrels telling them they are eating too much. (At least I don’t think it does.) The squirrels pay attention and understand how much to take.

We too can pay attention to our team and adjust accordingly, we can also learn to speak up when things become too much for ourselves.

We can do this with a little organization and a little communication.

First off, get organized and clean up your workload. Overwhelm can stem from being unorganized and out of control in your day.

Minimize contact switching and stop wasting time.

Second, communicate with your co-workers. If you are asking for help or giving out more work, have a conversation about what is being worked on currently and the scheduling for completion.

If you are being asked to take on more, communicate your current workload and completion timelines.

People may still be able to help just not right away. Be the one to speak up and ask questions.

Third, pay attention. Are people showing signs of burnout or exhaustion? Are you getting agitated too easily?

Pay attention to the signs and adjust accordingly through your organization and communication skills, from above.

As we learn to give and take just the right amounts, we will start to gain more energy and focus. Relieving the pressure of getting so much done, all the time, will allow us to complete all of our tasks quickly and with quality.

We will also start to improve our relationships and team culture. Camaraderie will increase as people start to believe that their skills and time are being appreciated and respected.

Keep it up and you will have a strong and healthy team working in harmonious coordination for many seasons to come.