Thursday, May 7, 2009

Focus on what you can control

I was in such a foul mood today when I left work....and it's only this job that can put me in that type of mood. It's a really stressful time right now because we have a major deadline coming up with an overwhelming amount of work that has to be accomplished. I'm starting to wonder if we will be able to accomplish what needs to be done.

And it never fails that in the middle of all this certain people insist that stop what I am doing to handle some low priority issue.....like a grad student who wants me to bring his friend over from Turkey to volunteer in the lab for the summer. REALLY. I'm suppose to stop processing over $3 million in grants so I can provide you with a summer playmate. He didn't like my answer so he went around me to his boss. I got an e-mail from our education office telling me to prepare the paperwork. I sent them an e-mail telling them if they want this to happen maybe they should prepare the paperwork. That one is going to get me in trouble.

And there are other things. But I'll spare you. So I left in a foul, foul mood. I stopped at the grocery store and headed straight to the ATM. As I approached it was flashing...."Focus on what you can control". I'm sure it was an ad for something but it seemed like a message just for me. FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL. As I got money from the ATM I started laughing and my mood changed for the better.

3 comments:

Vickie Hallmark said...

Oh, you take me right back to my lab days! The sign was undoubtedly just for you!

Katie said...

Yeah, I've had that kind of week, too! But I've always got the excuse that I'm a Union employee and I'm not ALLOWED to work more than 40 hours/week and if you want me to do something that's not in my JOB DESCRIPTION, I get compensated for it!! I've not had to resort to saying that... yet... but will if I feel it's necessary. ;-)

That ATM was the Universe screaming at you darlin'! Leave it at the office; go home and Control the Clay!!

Cathy said...

Just perfect! I'm gonna put that on a post-it on my computer screen, over my bench, at the kitchen sink, the bathroom mirror, the dashboard of my car... thanks for sharing and keep laughing!