A lesson in friendship and workplace management
I’ve recently been on holiday with friends. None of us had been abroad for a while and so we were all really looking forward to it. In our excitement we had created a detailed plan for the week – including day trips and time spent relaxing (and perhaps a few sangrias) – so that we would really make the most of it.
But once we were there it didn’t go to plan – and I felt angry about it. I felt I was sticking to the plan while the others kept changing it and they were stopping me from enjoying myself. I therefore spent a good deal of my time on holiday in a bad mood.
But while I was busy being annoyed about it, they were still having a good time. It dawned on me that I was ruining my holiday for myself!
I realised that rather trying to change what my friends wanted to do, perhaps I could do with a change of attitude. I could do this by being flexible.
There’s a fine line between being a push over and being flexible. It’s important to stand up for yourself when it’s something worthwhile, but not to dig your heels in over every detail. When I have a plan I like to stick to it stubbornly – the plan itself often becoming more important than the activities! Not everyone is like that – some people prefer to go with the flow. It helps to remember that not everyone has the same priorities as you do. It might feel like giving in, but think – was the plan that important in the first place?
Not only is this a good lesson in friendship management, but it’s also a lesson for the workplace. I always plan my day – sometimes my whole week. When urgent tasks come in, making me rearrange my priorities, I can find it very stressful. I just need to remember that the plan is not set in stone – I can be flexible!
By Emma Webb
