I finally had a talk with my boss about some minor adjustments in my work schedule and environment that would help me succeed there!
I have a great boss and we've worked together off and on for 5 years. I was honest about feeling over stressed and that I was getting overwhelmed more often than before. I didn't share details beyond that it was a mental health issue, that I'm working on/through things, and that it'll be a process.
He was very obliging and asked mostly questions about logistics of my suggestions for how to help me. He did ask if I was getting the help I needed (because he cares about me as a human). Towards the end of our conversation he had one more question- "I don't want to pry or anything, but is this a new thing or has this been going on all along?" That was actually a hard one to answer. I went with the truth. The issues aren't new, but the symptoms have gotten worse as I've been digging things up to work through them.
Since then, he's been a little quicker than usual to pick up on my mental state, though I never asked him to try to read me himself. He can tell from a 2 second conversation if I'm not okay and he asks about it. If it's a work thing, we talk it out. If I say it's not work stuff, he gives me the choice to keep doing what I'm doing (to redirect my thoughts and stay busy) or to take a quick break in the walk-in cooler (it's a restaurant) if I need to regroup.
Seriously, I never would have imagined myself in food service back when I was asked what I wanted to be when I grow up, but I am so absolutely blessed to have a boss that values me as a person, that appreciates the work I do, and that is willing to work along side me as I navigate these stormy waters.
I am just super grateful for him and for landing in this job- it seemed random at the time- they were just the first place that called me when I started applying everywhere when I couldn't get a job in my field of study. And now I am SO SO SO glad to be there.
I have a great boss and we've worked together off and on for 5 years. I was honest about feeling over stressed and that I was getting overwhelmed more often than before. I didn't share details beyond that it was a mental health issue, that I'm working on/through things, and that it'll be a process.
He was very obliging and asked mostly questions about logistics of my suggestions for how to help me. He did ask if I was getting the help I needed (because he cares about me as a human). Towards the end of our conversation he had one more question- "I don't want to pry or anything, but is this a new thing or has this been going on all along?" That was actually a hard one to answer. I went with the truth. The issues aren't new, but the symptoms have gotten worse as I've been digging things up to work through them.
Since then, he's been a little quicker than usual to pick up on my mental state, though I never asked him to try to read me himself. He can tell from a 2 second conversation if I'm not okay and he asks about it. If it's a work thing, we talk it out. If I say it's not work stuff, he gives me the choice to keep doing what I'm doing (to redirect my thoughts and stay busy) or to take a quick break in the walk-in cooler (it's a restaurant) if I need to regroup.
Seriously, I never would have imagined myself in food service back when I was asked what I wanted to be when I grow up, but I am so absolutely blessed to have a boss that values me as a person, that appreciates the work I do, and that is willing to work along side me as I navigate these stormy waters.
I am just super grateful for him and for landing in this job- it seemed random at the time- they were just the first place that called me when I started applying everywhere when I couldn't get a job in my field of study. And now I am SO SO SO glad to be there.
