What would you do if a school-aged child, or even a teenager, came to you and said they are behind with their homework?
What would you do if a resident or patient came to you and said that they need physical help to get their shoes on, help to the bathroom, or help to get dressed?
What would you do if a primary care family member came to you and said that they are overwhelmed, are exhausted, and just cannot catch up?
You would help, right? We are all caregivers, that’s what we do. We help those who need help.
We help others in need the best way we can, so why is it so hard for us to ask for help? Why is it hard for us to admit that we are behind, overwhelmed, or even on the brink of losing it? Hey! Guess what?
You…are…human!
Shhhhhh, don’t tell anyone I told you, but human beings are not perfect. We make mistakes, we need help, we get overwhelmed and behind in our work. Telling someone who can help is not a sign of weakness or a notion that you cannot do your job; it is plain and simple — a sign that you are human, and that, my friend, is a person I want to work alongside of.
Admitting that we need help, we are overwhelmed, in over our heads, stressed, behind, tired, or lost (you fill in the blank) is a sign of strength, not weakness. It is okay to be in a place where you need help. I mean seriously! We tell our patients on a daily basis that it is okay to use an assistive device, compensatory strategies, thicken liquids, a walker, or even a splint or brace. Yet, we don’t listen to our own advice. Why?
I think it is plain and simple…we don’t like to have to admit when we are wrong, need help, or admit that we hadn’t considered a perspective opposite of our own. The problem is that we hide our mistakes, don’t hold ourselves accountable, blame others or circumstances, and maybe we even withdraw. That is the human part of being human that will make people not trust us and not believe us, and surely question our integrity, work ethic, and ability to perform our job role.
How do you overcome the human side of being human?
In my professional life, I revert back to Functional Pathways’ core Values and Fundamentals. These Values and Fundamentals guide us on how to be an elite employee. With these as my foundation, the next step is letting down my guard and allowing myself to be vulnerable.
It is extremely hard to admit when we’re wrong, to take responsibility when we’ve messed up, and even when we do not do what we say we’re going to do, but own it anyway! Start small, admit when you’re wrong, and grow. I’ve always said that when things are easy and without difficulty, we stay status quo. It’s when things get tough, burdensome, or difficult, that’s when we grow the most! Embrace the difficult times; your growth depends on it.
……And while you are growing, know that it’s okay to get overwhelmed and behind. Ask for help! Escalate the problem, because help is just a phone call, a text message, or an email away. You are a part of the FP family, which includes our client partners, and we support one another every day, all the time
Always.