3 days ago, I got a vid call from one of my old co-workers while he was on shift. After we shot the breeze for a bit, he pretty much showed me all of my old co-workers and clients that I had once worked with, smiling and laughing with me through the video call. One thing that he kept saying, however, stuck with me: “We need you back. We need your energy.”
I could easily understand where he was coming from. When it comes to work environments, I’m a pretty lively and animated individual. I’m the type to make random movie quotes to get a laugh, or dance to whatever cheesy pop song comes on the radio or P.A. system to get a chuckle. I’m also a persistent worker, focused on getting the job done and doing it right, no matter what the job may be. I’m the type to get my hands dirty when others are reluctant to, the type to lead by example. Some would consider a lot of my habits to be those of an ideal employee. I’m simply a man who believes in giving my best, no matter what I’m doing.
Still, regarding the issue of “energy”, while I was at my old job, it felt as if my energy was being drained from me, day by day. Whether it was the frustrating commute, on-site incidents I was called frequently to resolve or prevent, or even errors in documentation that resulted from having to multitask on a regular basis, it felt as if I was losing my energy, no matter how often I brought levity to my work environment. I felt as if my energy was being used to push me into a loop going nowhere, that the glass ceiling of the organization was going to continue to hold me back unless I did something about it. So, I took what little energy I had left for myself and took the opportunity for a career and company change.
Leaving my old job was bittersweet, but even though I had put so much of my energy into bettering the lives of the people there, it was time for me to put my energy to bettering myself and renewing myself.
In the past 6 months since I had left and started my new job, I feel that my energy has actually been returning to me. I’m working less hours, and some days can be more frustrating than others, but overall, I feel more renewed than I have in the past decade. I’m eating healthier and losing weight, I’m sleeping better, even on days when I only manage 5 to 6 hours of sleep, and I’m refocusing my spare time on endeavors outside of my job, including this blog. While my old co-workers may think that they need my energy in their environment, in truth, I needed to renew my energy for my own life.
The bottom line is that your energy should be utilized for yourself and by yourself. If you feel that there are people or circumstances that are draining your energy constantly, it’s time that you did something about it. Change your social circle. Change your daily diet. Change your activities. Change your job if you can. Take small steps. Meditate. Drink water. Read more and educate yourself. Indulge in a passion project. Do what needs to be done to renew yourself.
In the end, your energy belongs to YOU, and no one else.
Culture Fodder 