Smonday. That’s a real word. It’s in the Urban Dictionary. I’m redefining the definition though. Smonday could be interchangeable for depression. Smonday – the moment on Sunday afternoon when you experience depression because you realize that the weekend is ending and you have to go back to a job and a boss (a micromanager) that does not appreciate your talents and you frantically start to search for any excuse not to show up on Monday morning including googling work from home jobs. 🙂 That’s my personal definition of Smonday. If that definition just described how you feel on Sunday afternoon, you are not alone. [Let’s be clear. Not everyone that I’ve worked with is a micromanager. I’ve worked with some managers that are the definition of a Caring Leader. However, it only takes working with one micromanager to have a not so pleasant experience.]
According to a Gallup Poll, upwards of 70% of Americans are unhappy at work and it’s not because we don’t like the work. It’s because of a manager. Worst than that, the misery that we feel at work follows us home and takes a toll on our health and family life, sometimes to the point of depression.
Break the negativity cycle and overcome micromanagement depression
How does the actions of a bad manager follow you home? Maybe you’ve experienced how a negative office vibe can attach itself to your after work mood. You might want to accomplish great things in the evenings after work, but it takes hours to decompress (overcome the depression you feel as a result of working in a negative office environment) enough to create an appropriate mindset that would allow you to work on your personal goals. By the time you do that, it’s time to prepare to go back to the office the next day. It’s easy to find yourself in an endless cycle of wanting to move forward, but being unable to because of the negativity that you’re exposed to at the office. And even worse than that, some of us are afraid to gather resources that could help for fear that things will become even worse for us if anyone finds out. If that’s you, or someone you know, keep reading. I found a way to break the cycle, and I want to share it with you.
Against the odds, I survived and thrived while working under a micromanager. And so can you. Here’s what you need to do:
1. Understand that your manager’s behavior is not about you. It’s about CONTROL. You have a choice about how you will respond to their need to control, but first you will need to understand why they want to control everything, including you.
2. You’ll have to stop taking everything that your micromanager does personally. To paraphrase a famous commercial, ‘Never let your micromanager see you sweat!’ Changing your perspective on this one thing can alleviate your depression about work.
3. You’ll have to adjust your definition of on-the-job success while working under a micromanager. There are some things that are within your power to control and there are some things that you will never be able to control. Dedicate some time to understanding the difference.
4. You will have to decide which battles are worth fighting, and which battles with your micromanager are just time wasters that will cause you more stress than winning is worth. Sometimes, when you don’t have an objective person to talk to, it’s hard to know the difference.
5. You will have to decide when and if it’s time for you to make a professional transition. Maybe you’ll decide to transition after you reach a predetermined goal that you want to place on your resume, or maybe your depression has reached an unbearable level that dictates you transition before you reach a predetermined goal. No one can tell you when it’s time to transition, but for your health’s sake you must know when enough is enough.
Take back your control
Notice everything here is about you. That’s because you cannot control your manager. You can only control you.
How to Survive and Thrive with a Micromanager is a FREE PDF download that will help you work through the details of your work situation. It’s customized so that you can write in exactly what’s happening for you and how you can navigate your situation for your best outcome. You can get a no obligation copy of the download here.
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