A few weeks back my immediate boss (Boss Roger) told me to take one day off each week especially around the time that the big boss (Dr. C) will be out of the country which is starting next week. He said for me to pick a day where I am least needed or when there will be the least disruption in the operation and that would be on a Friday. Taking a day off means I will only work 4 days a week. I was at a loss why he would want me to shorten my work week when we are already swamped as it is. Plus I really have nowhere to go if I don't go to work. Boss Roger didn't tell me why he asked me to take the day off and frankly it made me paranoid. So many things came rushing into my mind and I was growing concerned. I kept on asking myself, "Did I do something wrong?" "Is this the initial stage before I am going to get fired? Is this his way of telling me to take a rest now so I will be re-energized come the new year?" I asked him why he wanted me to but he still didn't give me a straight answer until today.
I was at our other site when a problem came up again in one of the other sites. Unfortunately, I wasn't there to address the problem and the office manager wasn't able to handle it as well as we would have wanted her to. But I understand where she is coming from because I am going crazy as well thinking why we can't seem to find a way to straighten out the people there. There are far too many problems that I don't know where to start. It is making me frustrated and stressed out. I was giving Boss Roger some of my observations since he has always told me that his role is to be the "bad guy". He will be the one to talk to the employee that made the mistake. Then he told me...
Boss Roger: The thing with you is when you are frustrated, it shows in your voice, it shows in your face. That is why I want you to take a day off each week. I didn't tell you about this earlier."
Me: huh??
I guess he probably thought that I will feel bad if he told me the reason why he wanted me to take a day off. Frankly, I agree with him. I did tell him that I get really cranky when I am stressed to which he joked
"Kelan ka ba hindi cranky!"
Me: "eh ibig sabihin nun na I am always stressed!"
Yes I am transparent that way. My emotions can be seen in my face and heard in my voice especially at that very instant when the cause of my stress and frustration becomes apparent. This is also the reason why I keep my mouth shut when I am in that situation because I might end up saying something I don't mean or don't have to. When people are very emotional, we tend to be irrational and illogical and I don't like that. When I am emotional I am not able to think straight so I opt to remove myself first from the situation, think things through and only then will I be able to come up with a way on how to attack the problem. I can remove myself from it physically but not emotionally. I am a human being after all.
Now, that I know the reason why I am being told to take a day off, I don't feel so bad anymore if I do take up the offer. Initially I didn't know where I will go to which Boss Roger was so surprised to hear. But with Christmas looming, I will use that Friday off to finish buying presents and start crossing people's names off my very long Christmas list. I don't want to wait at the last minute because it will just escalate my stress level to new heights. I don't need nor deserve the additional stress right now. Work and self-centered relatives are enough. =)
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