The myth of Prometheus is that he has the same task to do over and over, suffering the same fate, but continuing on. It's similar to the way those of us in technology sometimes get, driving forward to get our work done no matter how long or what extremes we need to go.
But the work is never done.
I've really tried to keep this in mind as I've gotten older, as it's something that has really reduced the stress in my life and let me enjoy work more. And it's advice I've tried to pass on to others that I see getting caught up in their jobs, including my wife and even myself at times.
There was a time and I really strived to get work done and clear my plate. I worked long hours, 50, 60, 70 hour weeks, driving things forward until we could finish a project or set of tasks and relax. The problem was that I would go from those extremely long weeks to 40-50 hour weeks, never really getting a break after those crazy weeks because there was more work to be done. It wasn't at some frantic pace, but it was still there.
And it always will be. Sure there are deadlines and times when you need to put in extra work in the technology world, but it shouldn't be month after month. There shouldn't be a need to go from one high stress or time-consuming project to another without a break. Take some time between projects, and be sure that you let your boss know that you need a break and it will help you get ready for the next project.
A good manager will understand that he needs to balance an employee's workload and allow them some downtime between projects, finding low stress ways to keep an employee productive during these times. They'll protect you from burnout and work with you to ensure that your career continues to prosper under their guidance.
I have had a few good managers, some even helped me to find other jobs when I was ready and I tried to do the same. I'm wondering how the rest of you handle the never-ending workload in your position.
Steve Jones
The Voice of the DBA Podcasts
The podcast feeds are now available at sqlservercentral.mevio.com to get better bandwidth and maybe a little more exposure :). Comments are definitely appreciated and wanted, and you can get feeds from there.
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Today's podcast features music by Everyday Jones. No relation, but I stumbled on to them and really like the music. Support this great duo at www.everydayjones.com.
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