It’s been awhile since I’ve done a “Working Wednesdays” post, so I figured it was about time. And, this post will apply to you whether you are in the working world – or not. You all know that in March 2020 (just like everyone else) I began working from home. My makeshift home office was at my dining room table from my tiny laptop screen, and I made it work for those “two weeks” they said we would be home.
Those two weeks slowly extended into what is now a permanent remote position for me. My office job as I knew it was no more. Since then, we’ve moved into a new home with dedicated office space for both my husband and I (my husband owns his own business and works from home some of the time). And, my “9 to 5” has slowly bled into jumping online a little before my official start time – and has crept beyond my official “stop” time. Working from home certainly has its benefits (hello yoga pants and no commute), but it also has its cons (I’ve never worked more in my life).
Burnout in the workplace (or in your life)
So, why am I talking about this today? Well, I serve on a committee at work that is dedicated to retaining our workforce, and we deal with topics like recognition, recruitment and developing our staff. Do I have official training or expertise in this? No. But, I’ve worked at my organization long enough to understand some of the intricacies involved with promoting, developing and recognizing your employees. Well, in yesterday’s committee meeting, someone brought up the topic of burnout. That seems to be a hot button keyword these days. And, someone shared this article on “giving yourself permission to dial it back.”
I read the article, and it really resonated with me. If I’m being honest in this space, I feel pressure as a woman – especially as a pregnant woman – to work as hard as I can over these next few months so I don’t let my team down when I know that I will be out for maternity leave. And, I do have many mixed emotions around maternity leave (I know I’ll absolutely cherish the time with baby – and need it to recover, but a little part of me also has concerns about hitting the pause button on my job for awhile). Well, this article helped provide some much-needed perspective on all of this.
Take the time off
The main theme of this article is that overworking is counterproductive to our productivity. We all need to time to reset and recharge. In short, working more hours – doesn’t actually improve your results in the longterm. I needed to hear that. It was the little wakeup call I needed to reset my priorities if you will. So you better believe that I took some time aside today to plan out some days (yep, I said days – not just one here or one there) off through the rest of 2022. That doesn’t mean that I don’t have a bit of guilt about that, but I also know that I need to step away from the computer for awhile (things aren’t going to burn down while I gone) and use that time to relax. Maybe take that time to thoughtfully plan out a nursery or take time to refill my glass – so I can be present in the workplace.
This is applicable advice for your life too. We can get so caught up in what I like to call “life admin.” Making sure the house is taken care of, that the pets are cared for, that you’ve got dinner on the table, that you have the laundry and the chores handled. I mean, the list can go on and on, but my point here, is that sometimes you forget to have fun. My husband and I always make a point each year to take a true vacation – usually somewhere involving water and a beach. And while the leadup to the vacation can be stressful (making sure you knock all those to-dos off your list so you can actually enjoy the vacation), we always get back feeling relaxed and recharged. A change of scenery almost always equates to a change in mindset. My husband comes back a better leader for his employees – and I come back a better employee.
So, all this to encourage you to take the days off, take the vacation, set some of that life admin aside for a day or two to enjoy the life that you work so hard trying to maintain each and every day.
Crockpot White Chicken Chili
One of the ways I add some extra time into my evenings is by throwing a meal in the crockpot before my work day even begins. That way, when Aaron and I are done for the day, I’ve got a warm meal ready to go (and I didn’t have to spend a ton of time trying to make a meal). With the cooler weather officially arriving in Texas, I decided to make my version of White Chicken Chili.
Ingredients
- 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves of minced garlic
- 24 ounces of chicken bone broth (I use the low sodium)
- 2 15 ounce cans of great Northern beans (drain them)
- 1 4 ounce can of diced green chilies (drained)
- 1 4 ounce can of diced jalapeños (drained – if you don’t like spicy, eliminate the jalapeños and just use 2 cans of the diced green chilies)
- 1 15 ounce can of corn
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 dash of black pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 3/4 tsp of oregano
- 1/2 tsp. chili powder
- 4 ounces of cream cheese
- 1/4 cup of half and half
Toppings (all optional and get creative):
- Diced green onions
- Avocado
- Fritos
- Shredded cheese
Here’s what you’ll do
- Put your chicken breast in the bottom of the crockpot. Season with the salt pepper, cumin, oregano and chili powder.
- Next, top with onions and garlic
- Finally, add in your great Northern beans, green chilies, jalapeños, corn and chicken broth.
- Cover and set your slow cooker to high (3-4 hours) or low (6-8 hours).
- Once your chicken is fully cooked, shred with a fork directly in the crockpot ( no need to get another bowl dirty for this). It will look like the photo below.
- Then, add in your cream cheese and half and half. Cover and continue cooking for about 15 more minutes.
- Spoon into bowls, top with desired toppings and serve. This makes a lot. I froze more than half to use as an even faster dinner for another night.
Enjoy!!!!
