Background Story
Since this happened more than a decade ago, I canât exactly remember what job it was that took so long that I felt wasnât even something that should have been assigned to me (I believe it was something my manager was supposed to do).
As I undertook it I realized that saying yes to that job meant I had to neglect the things that I was supposed to do. As the hours ticked on late into the night, I felt very frustrated and overwhelmed.
Why didnât I just say no?
Itâs hard enough to talk to your boss when you both speak the same language when youâre dealing with sensitive matters such as these, but imagine the difficulty when you are time bound and have to overcome a very big language barrier as well. Not to mention the Japanese work culture expectation of saying yes to your boss even when it puts you in a pinch. At this point, I was still adjusting to the culture and found it really hard to refuse that assignment. As Iâm sure everyone else was adjusting to me and my role as a Bridge Systems Engineer, as well!
A few days later, my boss took that assignment off me when he saw how much I was struggling with all my tasks. Thank God! Also, when I had a job review months later, I was given the opportunity to give feedback so I told my *new* manager what I thought were part of my job description and what were not part of it. I requested him that management stuff should be done by management people and he truly listened. He was the kindest boss I had ever worked with in my entire 10 years in the industry. I got a supervisor boss and I was really able to focus on the tasks that I was there for.
Many things may seem overwhelming at a point in time, but believe that God is working behind the scenes. He's not just working to make things better, but He is there through the valley. He cheered me up with that beautiful sunset, that I still managed to squeeze into the 1 AM bus home, eating my favorite comfort food, and His promise to give sleep to those He loves (and yes, you are loved by Him). For now, keep your head up and have faith. Things will get better.
Journal With Me: Journaling Prompt for Overwhelm
Now itâs your turn to journal.
- Why do you feel overwhelmed?
- What have you done to take care of your mental health through this overwhelm? Tip: meditating on good things that fill your heart and eating your favorite food are all part of it
- What are things you are thankful for? The simplest things such as the sunset or your favorite food are a great place to start.
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