Welcome Back: Alive & Engaged?

Why "welcome back"??

Some of you may be long-lost readers of my series on Wellbeing in the Workplace that was published in ancient Pre-Covid Times.?Many of you have never heard of me or read my work, but I would still like to welcome you back.?I use that phrase intentionally because I want this new series of articles to be familiar and useful to all readers — whether new or not.

This series is titled For Mature Audiences Only, and I admit to being a little coy with this phrase.?The reason I use the FMAO title is because this series will tackle serious & meaty workplace (and “lifeplace”) issues without getting too sappy, academic or prosaic.

Good Folks & Places, One Evil Dude

During my 30 year career, the vast majority of people and companies I worked with have been good, positive people and places.?Along the way, I’ve worked with some remarkable businesspeople and worked at a few special companies. ?

Of course, I’ve worked with some rats during my career, including at least one person whom my colleagues and I thought was just plain evil.?Unfortunately, I’ve worked in a few companies that pretty much sucked too. ?

Through the good and the bad, I’ve gained insights that will be useful to others, and as I enter Retirement v2.0 (see below), I invite you to come along with me as I unpack these experiences. ?

In particular, we’ll be looking at how we can be more fully awake and alive at work while also increasing engagement and enjoyment in our working —and living— experiences.?

A Soap Opera Series

The start of this series will be written largely from my living room sofa.?I had surgery on my leg stemming from a motorcycle accident (lessons and wisdom on that event later), so I’m literally on my butt for two months.?One week into eight weeks of Sofa Time I have plenty to write about. ?

I commit to writing that is challenging — even rough at times — and insights that are ready for use right away.

So, Welcome Back, I’m glad you are here.?Please give feedback along the way.?Here goes…

Retirement 2.0

Eight years ago I tried, and failed, to retire.?Stubbornly, I am once again entering into something that some folks might call retirement, but I’ve not yet put a name to it. ?

Even as I “retire” again, I know there are more failures ahead.?

A quick side note: For Mature Audiences Only is not just for people who are thinking about retirement or are retired, and it’s not even just for folks contemplating their place in the Great Resignation. ?

If there isn’t something here for almost every worker — those about to go to work, those fully in the workplace, those with one foot in/one foot out of the workplace, or those who really are retired — then we can chalk-up this series to another of my career failures.

So here’s the first bit of wisdom:?Being retired doesn’t mean you've actually left your place of employment.

Stating the obvious??Perhaps, but… ?

We have all known folks who are sleep-walking through their jobs, and most of us have had times when we were the Working Sleepwalkers.?

Amidst these Covid-Great Resignation Times a lot of us have been partially sleepwalking — through work and through life in general.?If that feels a bit like you, it’s time to wake-up and re-engage. ?

MPPD? Huh?

One such sleepwalking experience for me was after the birth of our first child.?For months after her birth I was tired, disconnected and mentally absent from my work team.?Every minute at work seemed like unbearable time away from my baby daughter. ?

Almost two decades later, I learned about something called Male Postpartum Depression.?Although it was way too late at that time to do much good for me, at least it put a name to a really tough period in my career. ?I had temporarily “retired,” but couldn’t see it or name it myself.?I needed something or someone to help me re-awake and re-engage during that time.

For You...

I’ll close this first article by leaving you with these questions:?

• Are you fully awake at and engaged in your work?
• Would you like to create more enjoyment in your life?
• Does your work bring you joy at all or is it pure drudgery?

We have a lot to talk about.?Please come back next week.