Out Sick

BALANCE

Well, I am actually returning from being sick.  I should have posted an “Out Sick” sign on Monday.  I have been pretty ill all week and most likely looked a lot like this pooch.  I am still only around 80% but much better than this past Monday morning. 

The most interesting part of this week has been my reflection on being “out of balance” even when it comes to being sick further cementing my need to keep working on convergence.  I get sick once, maybe twice a year.  It is usually directly related to a change in season primarily Fall to Winter.  I was in Florida the two weeks preceding so I am contributing this event to my immune system believing it was a Fall-Winter conversion as I landed back in the frozen tundra we call Ohio.  I turn into a big baby when I am sick and have been known to whine for my “mommy.”  🙂  Everything comes to a stand still EXCEPT my career.  I have not missed a day of work due to illness in over 10 years.  There was a time I wore that fact as a badge of honor – in retrospect it is actually a badge of stupidity and completely contrary to my actual philosophy on driving efficiency and making things happen.

Work Smart?

It was a very busy week.  My calendar was basically booked from start to end with meetings, many of which I was actually leading to launch a new process for this upcoming week.  No matter how bad I felt there was no way I could take a day or two off.  I couldn’t even spare the time it would take to go to the doctor.  I would have to just “suck it up” and work through it.  That is what I told myself.  So despite pleas from my wife and even some chastising from a few colleagues that I should get to the doctor I pushed through the week at anywhere from 20 – 50% efficiency.  There in lies the rub.  When I look back at the week I just want to slap myself.  The process I HAD to get trained in is actually now on hold due to some technical issues and despite my working through the week completely miserable I still feel behind on items I wanted brought to closure.  Had I taken Monday off and went to the doctor and possibly even Tuesday off to recouperate I could have most likely accomplished so much more Wednesday through Friday that I would actually be farther ahead. 

I am certified in Six Sigma & Lean Manufacturing.  I have proven skills in evaluating a process, removing waste, and driving efficiency and quality to the tune of millions of dollars.  I am confident that if you asked anyone that has worked for or with me they would tell you I “work smart” and “get things done.”  But I am not smart enough to take a day off work and see a doctor when I am sick.  Just another example of how our thought process can become clouded when things are out of balance.  So the journey continues.

How are you out of balance?  The first step is to just admit it!