I buried myself

I thought about it for a while then decided there wasn't any choice; it needed doing and not being one to shy away from difficult things I did it.

I buried myself.

It wasn't a whole lot of fun at first but after a while I got used to it and even started to like it, or become accustomed to it at least, and certainly to like the results that followed.

I buried myself under a mountain...a mountain of work.

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I'm that guy that tends to "lift heavy shit' which means I work hard, put in a lot of effort and don't hide away from what needs doing and it's repaid me well, professionally and personally. I don't just mean with promotion and increasingly higher incomes - although those things certainly happened - I mean through rewards of a different kind like satisfaction through doing something well, a brighter future through learning and understanding myself and by building better skills, and in various other ways - going home after a good and productive days' work feels good to me, even if it's been complex, difficult and stressful.

Over the past eight months I've actively and willingly buried myself under a mountain of work professionally and it's taken a toll - I'm really worn out - however I am pleased with myself, my attitudes and actions, and what my efforts have returned: Status within my organisation, a guy-to-go-to status, and also as one who achieves at a high level, is dependable, plus it's earned me a great deal of respect from the team around me. That's worth getting buried for I think.

The toll has been high, the price I've paid for that effort and the focus I've given it, but even that's not enough to leave me feeling like my time has been poorly spent. I have some weeks off over the Christmas/New Year period and the last eight or so months will help me enjoy those weeks even more, the hard work makes for better relaxation.

So, being buried under a mountain of work hasn't been bad at all; I guess my entire working life has prepared me for each next thing, layers of value upon a solid foundation and the ability to lean into what needs doing.

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I have a very focused mind, am dogged, (google it if you're not familiar with the meaning), I value great results and knowing I'm performing at an optimal level, or close to it. I consistently put myself under pressure and expect a great deal from myself...and that means those around me as well by default. It's worked well for me and I'm not about to change.

Of course, the counterpoint is that I relax at ninja-level. When I'm not at work I'm one hundred percent laser focused on whatever I'm doing, snoozing in my hammock for instance, and I think that helps me be even more effective when I go back to my professional life.

How about you folks?

Do you feel comfortable working hard and achieving great results? Do you balance that out with a healthy and awesome personal life like me? Are you lazy and expect others to lift heavy shit so you don't have to? Have you ever been buried under a mountain of work and have it turn out great or badly? How have you handled the workload?

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