The other day, after being on the road for nine days, and working seven straight days to prepare for the nine I succumbed to drinking soda. I was SO tired and needing to pick up my game to make it through the home stretch without seeming/getting tired and/or crabby.
So I’m drinking this soda and someone says to me “I never drink soda.” Okay, this is a conversation opener that can lead down many paths. One, I could have said that I rarely drink it except when exceedingly tired and in need of immediate sugar and caffeine at a price point below Starbucks. Or, I could have shared how many sacrifices I’d recently made to pull together a situation for so many others in lieu of my own needs. Or I could have done the I’m a lacto-vegetarian – unless you’re a vegan you may want to back off judging my soda.
What I did however was say, “that’s great!” and meant it. Because what is the point of being “right” at the cost of another? What is the point of success on the backs of others? What is the point of huge profit while over extending and at times breaking your employees? What is the point of working yourself so hard that you bring little to nothing to your home?
We talk about moderation when it comes to food like it is a no brainer. How long will you wait to talk about moderation in the work place? This is particularly hard if you are the boss. Depending on your corporate culture it may feel damn near impossible. But what it boils down to is this… We know we can’t have it all. So what is YOUR priority? Is it driven by a healthy environment or profit?