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JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!
I was wondering if you could help me with some stress related work issues please. I work in advertising sales for a very large media company. Even in these tough economic times I manage to continue to close a high volume of sales. I know, I know what do I possibly have to complain about?
Well, I really don’t intend to complain, I know deep down I am very fortunate and I really do love my job. I work with a wonderful team of smart, engaging, warm, genuine people but sometimes the work flow just seems too frenetic. It seems that while I am trying to crank out a proposal for one of my clients, I keep getting pinged and pinged by email requests from other clients. There is this voice in the back of my head yelling ‘would you just leave me the heck alone!’ Another frustration I find is that I often email information to people only to find that they continue to ask me the same questions over and over and over again. Why do they ask me for things, if they are not even going to read my reply?
Thanks in advance for your advice, and I hope to hear back from you soon, till then I will simply loose myself in your calming channel.
Hello Asker,
Seems clear that your colleagues are the one big source of stress for you now, and they’re lobbing two different types of distracting, time-wasting and frustrating stressors at you: constant contact and repeat questions.
Respond to that voice in your head that’s yelling, “Just leave me the heck alone,” with a little ping prevention. Those words suggest that you’re a powerless victim—like you’re standing there in the pouring rain without opening your umbrella. How about redirecting that voice to say, “I’m going to make you leave me the heck alone,” and then turn off or put away your device for an hour or however long you want and need to work on your proposals without interruption? I know, our technology drives immediate response expectations, but are you really going to lose deals if you’re off line here and there? Seems like the time and space you need to get business is just as important as keeping clients happy once you’ve got them.
On the second stressor (repeat requesters), could you just forward them your original reply, maybe with an intro line like, “See my 9/23 response below.” Sure, you have to consider how recipients will interpret this approach, but it might also send a powerful message to pay attention without having to recreate your original response. Who knows why people don’t read or recall what you repeatedly communicate to them, but there’s a lot of evidence that way too many emails, texts, meetings and other demands (a.k.a. stressors) are making it harder for them to focus and remember.
Perhaps you could also communicate directly and constructively to your clients, explaining your work style and why it enhances your ability to produce for them. And if they continue to bombard you with requests to explain your work style and how it enhances your ability to produce for them, you can continue to ‘go coastal’ and take Instant Vacations, here on thestresscoach.com.
Thanks for writing,
Les
10/08
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