This has all been said before, and better than by me. Not to bury the lede – practice self care and have a generous heart.
One of the insights I’ve gained as I’ve grown older, is how deeply and comprehensively injuries and illness can effect someone. Or non medical issues – the regular ups and downs of life. Especially on the job.
A few weeks ago a friend called out a scholar for not caring about their research. The presentation was bad, they were unenthusiastic and, frankly, it sounds like it sucked. It sucked for my friend to sit through it. Maybe the presenter doesn’t care, and if a presenter doesn’t care it’s hard for anyone else to care. But I kept defending this unknown person, thinking maybe they were doing the absolute best they could and we just don’t know what is going on.
What if they have plantar fasciitis and standing is painful? Or if they have a bulging disc between their vertebra that is pressing directly on a nerve? What if they suffer depression – that wounds so many, kills some, and hides in plain sight?
What if they have lost someone?
What if they have an autoimmune disorder that is causing a cascade of seemingly unconnected problems that just makes them tired and miserable? Maybe their doctor thinks they are a hypochondriac.
Migraines.
Microaggressions.
Muscular sclerosis.
HIV.
Prescription drug side effects.
Nonacceptance of gender identity.
A belittling, tyrannical supervisor.
Their child is being bullied.
Parkinson’s.
Marital problems.
Financial troubles.
Sick family.
Othering.
You get the idea.
There are a nearly infinite number of reasons someone might be flat or uninspired that have nothing to do with their passion for a subject. Personal matters and illness can intersect in ways both traumatic and invisible that harm our work performance – and I mean the affective state we try to project.
As I age and endure some of these issues I usually choose not to share my troubles with coworkers. I imagine they are doing the same – the best they can. (EDIT – a friend notes this suggests that people normally and perhaps should hide their problems. She is right, and that is not what I wanted to communicate. I was speaking to my tendency to not share. Sharing of problems can be therapeutic and I hope people can seek help and not be isolated by the problems they face.) I have had to become better at self care to combat the little aches that accrue as my birthdays pile up. I get off lightly and I never will know what others are enduring. Maybe you are healthy and happy in your job – awesome! But please have a generous heart and at least assume others are doing their best within the framework of their life. And of course, practice self care to the extent you can.
Thank you for witing this post, such a good reminder to be kind. Like so many, I’ve been on both sides of the aging aspect of this. Once a very young professional, full of good health and energy, who sometimes had little patience for older colleagues who “couldn’t keep up.” And now, as a much older, still working professional, still passionate about our profession, but with some hidden health issues that wear me down. I’m not the energetic pro I was even 5 years ago. Though I’ve run across a few folks who now dismiss me as irrelevant, mostly I am seeing so much good in the folks in our profession. Thanks for this reminder to be generous and to try to see the world through someone else’s eyes. (And yes, not just an age issue!)
Thanks for reading. Life is tough and we all struggle – assuming the best has made me better at my job and a little happier.