I hate interrupting people. Even when it’s part of my job, and the person I am going to talk to has given me permission to, I find myself hesitating. I think this is part of the reason I at times have trouble calling people on the telephone, or starting important conversations that require deep thought.
In my current job I am not yet responsible for calling people to sort any issues. This has allowed me to focus on the other tasks I have been learning, to embed them in my memory as much as I can. I have no problem creating emails or other written correspondence, and think I am good at doing so. But when it comes to phonecalls it is like there is an invisible barrier I have to push past before even engaging in the conversation. The uncertainty of response adds some anxiety on top of this. Hopefully when we return to the office I will be well-versed enough in what I know to confidently take on some of the responsibility of calling people.
When calling someone there is always the possibility they are doing something else, or it is not a good time for them to talk on the phone. In part this is why it sometimes takes me a long time to work up to making the phone call. I can also get flustered if a question is asked and I don’t know the answer, I’m not prepared for the kind of information given, or the person I’m calling responds in a difficult way.
To help me work through any difficulties I write down since notes. I draft a bit of what I am going to say, some follow up questions that might be useful, and who I might ask if I don’t the information required. Writing is something that seems to help me in nearly all situations life throws at me.
Covid-19 has done a tremendous job of interrupting the entire world. Many people have been impacted, forced to work from home, to stop working temporarily, or to stop working altogether. It has been an unexpected interruption and we don’t know when it will end. Everybody is facing their own set of challenges, their own obstacles they are trying to overcome. Now more than ever we must acknowledge we don’t have have all the answers, and know we don’t have to.
What we must do is stay together as well as we can while we have to be physically distant from those we care about. Whether we are working at this time or not, if our body, mind, spirit, or a combination of all three tell us to rest, we must trust it is for a reason.
If you feel yourself kicking, falling below the surface in deeper water than you thought, reach out if you are able.
If you have a feeling someone is struggling, reach in and let them know you are available. To talk, to listen, to simply be.
Hang in there. Grow love in your heart and share it. Choose kindness. Peace to you, my friends.
Hard lines, heavy times, and handblocks 