Fitting In

Happy April Dear Readers!

It has been a long winter here in Canada and if you can believe it we actually got snow this week where I live!  But I am hoping May will be a lot warmer since I am having a harder and harder time remembering what summer feels like!

Work was especially busy this week and combined with a lot of social engagements I found my depression creeping in.  I am lucky in that I recognize it and that the negative feelings usually don't last any longer than a day or two.  But to me it's a sign there is not enough rest time included in my schedule to relax and recharge.  I especially need more quiet time in the evenings when I am having a challenging time at work.  Unfortunately, I get both physical and emotional symptoms of stress which can include not being able to sleep, having chest pains, not being hungry, getting headaches, being irritable and so on.  I was mentioning some of these symptoms to my Mom and she suggested I just change my way of thinking.  I am aware of the benefits of cognitive behavioural therapy but to be honest I believe my personality is the greatest factor.  I just do not handle conflict well at work (although in my personal life it's not too bad - likely because the issues are more complex at work).  I know that I will eventually get through the situation and I'll be professional but it just takes so much out of me.  I can see now that I should never have gotten into the field of social work since it involves at TON of conflict but I wanted to help people so badly.  Instead I realized I am content to help others in my daily life i.e. standing up for someone when I see an injustice happen or helping friends with career or life issues.  I have realized that anyone can make it their mantra to help others and it doesn't necessarily have to involve working in a helping field.

But alas, on to the topic at hand - fitting in at the office.  As it goes, with any job in an office setting there are politics at various levels such as between co-workers or with management.  Every person has their own agenda - to just put in their time so they can get a pay check, to climb the career ladder and step over whoever is in their way to get there, to gain experience and then move on, or those in limbo who are not quite sure what they want to do next so they stay until they figure out their next move (I fall into this group and I believe many others do as well).  And within those groups you get different personality types such as leaders, introverts (me!), extroverts, drama queens, geeks (me!) and so on.

It is challenging when you first start a job since you don't know who fits into which group and what their personality type is.  And how you interact with each type is very important so you don't cause any waves.  This was a hard lesson I had to learn when I first started at my organization but I have since gotten better at filtering what I say and only showing my quirkiness to the direct group of people I work with (who luckily accept me as I am).  But the field of social work in general is full of very social people who flourish in group settings and enjoy debating the world of "grey."  To me "grey" refers to the policies which are not firm or clear enough to give you a direct answer as to how assist your client within the parameters of the program you work for.  I hate it when "grey" situations come up at the office since I can always see both sides and my opinion can greatly waver depending on the latest point either my supervisor or co-workers make.  In general, I hate the feeling of being wishy-washy and it makes me feel like a weak worker.  I can sprout historical case facts and other relevant data like nobody else (sometimes I joke at work that I am borderline Asperger's) but for sure the vagueness does not make me feel comfortable.

At these times I just wish I was given a stack of manageable, uncomplicated work to do which I could accomplish independently.  But people are messy and when you work in the field of helping others their are emotions and opinions to consider. My Mom suggested to me today that I just leave my organization and get a job working in a back office somewhere (she was not joking and meant it honestly).  There are moments when I think she has a point but any jobs like that would require a serious pay cut and a huge reduction in human contact.  I still want to have co-workers but I admit it would be nice losing the helpless feeling that comes when you can't help your clients like you want to and on the flip side no longer having irrational or angry clients to deal with.  But I have read enough career blogs and articles to know there is no perfect job out there.  And some of the best advice I have read lately is to not have a job which you are passionate about (since it can ruin your love of it) but to instead be in a field that caters to your strengths.  I have no doubt that I have gained some valuable experience as a social worker over the years and that there might be some higher up jobs (but not management) that would allow me to use this knowledge in a helpful way.  Nonetheless, I truly believe I am on the way out of front line social work since there are too many negatives to it, at least for me.  But them the question becomes where would I have the better fit?  It feels like there is as many possibilities as there are directions.

Happy Pondering,

Patti

Counselling and the Social Worker

Hello Dear Readers,

Well there almost goes another month!  Things have been pretty steady for me since Christmas and I just finished up an intense week at work with more travel than usual.

To be honest, I am finding extensive travel as one of the most stressful things about my job.  I dread the pile of work waiting for me when I return to my desk and cramming in so many client visits while I am on the road.  I also think the break in routine is hard for me too.  I like having a steady pace at work and when my schedule completely changes it's difficult for me to cope.

After many years in the field of social work I can definitely see how it is not a match for my introverted, conventional personality type and my anxiety and depression.  I still dream about a life after social work in a more supportive role but I am a few years away from that and when I do consider changing the path of my career I get a little scared since all I know is social work.  It's how others define me and it's the profession I sacrificed so much for.  And I know when I leave this field I'll have to come to terms with the great price I have had to paid for it.

But alas, there is a topic which has become almost a daily part of my life lately.  Counselling - and I am not talking about helping my clients.  I have had several co-workers who have approached me for social workey advice for their personal issues.  I am greatly honoured to be entrusted with their secrets (none life threatening you can be rest assured!) but still serious problems nonetheless.  In a way I enjoy getting to use those skills which I don't get to use too often in my current job.  In other ways I feel like I am giving biased help since I am friends with these people as well so I try to differentiate by saying 'as a social worker' or 'as a friend' before I give advice so they know where I am coming from.  Overall I believe they ask for this help because they are aware of my social work experience and because of the personal challenges I have been able to overcome - with a majority of them occurring while I've been a social worker.  The ironic thing is that a lot of these co-workers are older then me which shows me that experience is not dependent on age.

So I am wondering if any of you have had family, friends, co-workers or people in the community approach you for professional advice because you are a social worker.

As Always,

Patti

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day My Dear Readers,

What has Patti been up to this last month you may be wondering to yourselves?  Not much actually.  It has been cold and snowy where I live and I have dreaded the times when I have travel scheduled for work.

Overall work has continued to have it's ebbs and flows.  One moment I am extremely busy and other times not so much.  It can be crisis driven so whenever I get an unexpected phone call from a client I wonder if it's because of a crisis.  In general, I feel burnt out from emergency situations and the first thoughts that come into my head when a crisis comes up are "why am I doing this job?" or "I need to find something else that is less of a roller coaster."  After much personal/career research I have realized I have a conventional sort of personality that thrives on stability and clear expectations - so why the heck did I get into social work???  The lack of defined policies and constantly changing mandates really drive me up the wall sometimes.  But I am still at the same social work job and I will remain here until something better comes along.

Other exciting things in my life include an upcoming move.  For some reason or another I seem to move about once a year and usually during my busiest times at work.  I am not looking forward to the stress that is coming up with this move but I know it will lead to me being in a more comfortable living situation.

As for educational goals I have taken the lazy woman's approach and decided not to pursue my master's degree in social work.  I cannot see pouring more money into my social work education as I don't know if I will remain in this profession long term.  Also, the added stress of working all day and completing coursework in the evening and weekends will probably be too much for me.  I like to decompress when I get home, although if I did not have to work I could see myself returning to school full time if the right program presented itself.

However, like the title of my post says, it's Valentine's Day and I want to wish all of you dear readers a day filled with compassion, kindness and love.  Today is perfect for getting some treats for your co-workers, having a special dinner with family, or having a fun night out on the town with friends.  In general, it's a reminder about the special relationships we have in our lives (not just romantic) and the opportunity we have to share our feelings with those people.  Or like me, it is about considering romantic possibilities for the future!

As Always,

Patti

Hobbies and the Social Worker

Hello My Fellow Social Workers,

With a new year upon us, now is the perfect opportunity to look at ways we can enrich our lives.  Some are making travel plans for the future while others are taking courses or volunteering.  Yet there is another option that for many of us, will give us that needed break from our social work jobs - hobbies.

With a quick search on the internet you can get hundreds of hobby ideas online.  Many can be done alone if you like solitary pursuits while others can be done in groups.  They might take you outside of your community or there are those that can be done in the comfort of your own home.  There is likely as many hobbies as there are types of personalities!

I admit, I wish I had more hobbies.  I would say blogging is my primary hobby although I definitely have interests in other areas.  Most days when I finish work I just like to come home and relax and hobbies usually get put to the back burner.  And then my weekends are used to catch-up on errands or to visit with family and friends.

But having hobbies outside of work is healthy for your body and mind.  And as my mother keeps telling me, I focus a lot on my work!  But being a social worker carries so much responsibility and at times the work can feel crushing.  Sometimes you just need quiet time to do nothing and relax.  But if you find you have a little but of extra time outside of work I would seriously consider pursing a hobby.  It can give you something interesting to talk about, provide you with additional skills (that do not relate to your job) and help you to meet interesting people you might never have had the opportunity to meet before.  And the great thing about hobbies is they can be put on hold when need be and you can easily pick them up again when you are ready.  And you don't have to stick with the same hobby forever, you can change it up based on your interests!

As Always,

Patti

The Holidays and the Social Worker

Happy Holidays Readers,

I have not had anything too interesting to write about in the last month.  Work has been evenly busy and my relationship with my supervisor has been alright.  There are a lot of changes happening in the agency I work for and there is the potential for more openings to be coming up in the future.  In anticipation of this I have been doing a lot of reflecting about where I am career-wise and where I want to be.  In general I am not looking to take on more responsibility, more travel or more irregular hours.  Undoubtedly I will be taking a pay-hit if I take another job at my agency since it very likely won't be a social work job.  I am still firm in my belief that my current social work job will be the last one I have.
But alas, on to my blog post topic of the holidays.  For most of us this is a restful time with a quieter caseload and days off provided by the agency we work for.  It's a time when we get to reflect on ourselves, and our relationships with family and friends.  With the New Year coming we are also thinking to the next year and what our personal and career goals will be.  My resolution is not to make any resolutions since I don't want to set myself up to fail with unrealistic goals.  I do however, vow to have a better year than the last one and to not repeat the mistakes I made previously.

So my advice then for you dear readers during this holiday season is to try and relax even though it may be hard since you are so used to going a mile a minute at work!  Think about what gives meaning to you both at work and in your personal life and try to take small steps in that direction.  You do not have to share your dreams with anyone and you don't even need to justify them to yourself.  Dreams give us passion and this is definitely the right time of year to embrace in the possibilities!

As Always,

Patti

Boundaries and the Social Worker

Hello Readers,

I want to give a special mention to those Social Workers who are in the military as in Canada November 11 was Remembrance Day.  These Social Workers face unique challenges that many of us will never experience.  Often they are in the trenches (at least metaphorically) with the people they are trying to help.  They too are missing their family members and friends on top of facing professional isolation.  There is likely little separation between their work and personal lives when they are on duty and their own safety can be put at risk in work zones.  Anyway, I wanted to let those Social Workers know we are thinking of them.

In regards to the topic of my post, this is something I have been working very hard on lately.  Creating boundaries.  Most of the time I feel this heavy weight of responsibility on my shoulders - at work and at home.  I worry about my career and if it is on track.  I hope I am making the best decisions possible for my future and for my life today.  And I am learning to say no when work cuts into my personal time, especially when it doesn't need to.  Also, I feel like I am doing a better job at educating my supervisor about how long my job really takes to do because the time frames she gives me are often not realistic.  For my personal life, I am now creating boundaries with my volunteering.  The person I am supposed to be helping has been stringing me along and as much as my mother wants me to keep trying I am getting frustrated.  I do not like chasing people when it's not related to work!  Like many Social Workers I have been so good at giving thoughtful advice to others, and now I am beginning to realize I deserve the same amount of consideration for myself.  I am learning what I can handle and what my boundaries are and I am now starting to put up a fight when both are being threatened.

As Always,

Patti

Should You Take a Temporary Social Work Job?

Hi Readers,

Some of you might be currently working in a temporary social work job while others may be considering it.  I know of several social workers who have taken a temporary position - often to cover a maternity leave.  I myself have never had a temporary social work job but here are my thoughts on it based on the observations made from the experiences of my temp social work colleagues.

You may be new to the city, fresh out of school, burnt out in your current position, or recently laid off.  You need a job as soon as possible and the only job you could find or were offered is a temporary one.  Hmm, now the question becomes should you accept it or wait for a permanent position to come up?  Here are the pros and cons to accepting a temporary social work position which might help you to make your decision:

PROS

- You are not committed to remain at the job for a long period of time so if you don't like it you can leave when the term is over

- You get to try out different types of social work areas before settling on one

- If you end up in a toxic work environment you can feel better knowing you will not be there forever

- You get the opportunity to network with different colleagues, supervisors and managers and you can use those connections in the future

- If you don't like living in one place for too long it is easier to move around with a temporary position

- You get to test out the job and if you like it and prove to be good at it, your employer is more likely to consider you should a similar full time position come up 

CONS

- You don't have the security of a permanent income

- It could be hard saying goodbye to your clients and co-workers if you have good relationships with both

- It is harder to make long term plans if you don't know where you are going to be work-wise in the future

- You are concerned a lot of social work positions on your resume over a short period of time won't be attractive to future employers

- You loose out on the opportunity to move up in the organization which can only occur with time and experience

For myself, there were times I wish I had accepted temporary positions instead of permanent ones especially for some of the more stressful social work jobs I have had.  It would have made it easier to move on since the decision of leaving would have been out of my hands.  I wish employers would offer short listed candidates the opportunity to job shadow to see what the job is really about.  I think a lot of us would have second thoughts after a close examination of the work environment and duties.  However, some employers are betting on our naivete to fill high turnover high burnout positions.  But whatever route you go, just be sure to listen to your heart and weigh the pros and cons carefully.

As Always,

Patti