Extra Weight
I went for a run tonight because supposedly, I am training for a marathon. But, truth be told, I’m waffling on that decision. But that’s another story for another blog post. I put on the new Altra running shoes I bought with my REI dividends (you get money back and then you can spend it again!?!), and slipped out the door just after sunset.
2 miles in. Everything good. All systems go.
3 miles in. Suddenly, I’m drenched — overly drenched in sweat — but I’m feeling okay, well, actually, a little heated, but I don’t really realize it until I stop moving and collapse on a chair on our patio to recover. Darlene walks out and takes one look at me and says, “What happened to you? Did you ….did you sweat all that… sweat?”
I’m fine. I’m healthy. I’m able to run 4 miles — not at an earth-shattering pace — and get a good workout. It’s just that, well, there’s this extra weight. I’m carrying — oh, let’s just call it 20 extra pounds, but maybe it’s 30 — extra weight with me. I have eating habits. Things I like to experience as part of my daily routine. A cinnamon dulce latte. Rice bowls. Big, big, big salads. Avocados. I’m not counting calories and I’m not caring.
Until, I feel what it feels like to carry the extra weight. I know what to do — simply change those eating habits, start counting calories, start practicing an awareness of what I consume — and everything can change.
What’s the corollary in our work lives? What’s the extra weight we carry that makes our work harder? Maybe it’s a conversation with a colleague we really need to have but have been putting off. Maybe it’s time to commit to the discipline and extra steps we need to take for an advanced degree we’ve been considering. Maybe we need to take a difficult assignment to reposition ourselves for a career move. Maybe we need to prioritize our work better in the day — tackle the challenging, unpleasant tasks first thing in the day and so make the rest of the day feel, well, no pun intended, lighter.
What are your thoughts? What’s the extra burden you’ve been carrying that you don’t need to carry any longer? What’s holding you back from being the person you want to be? What can you do today — or tomorrow — to begin to remove the extra weight that’s slowing you down and wearing you out?
When we take these steps, we affect our teams. Others sense the shift in our energy and outlook, and we can improve others’ work experiences, too.


