BennyEast.Com/Blog The official blog of Kenny West

Game On

Today was probably the easiest to get through of the entire week.

SO, to recap... My boss hasn't been in to work since Thursday, last Thursday.  As far as I know, I THINK he'll be back Monday.  This just leaves us down one of our team members.  So, there's the same amount of work, but less people to do the work.

Anyways, so what happens when you have the same amount of work but less people?  The people who remain have to do more work!

Actually, it's interesting... So, when I first started at my job we actually had the following:

3 IT Techs... This was what I was hired as, and basically it's still my title.  Even though I'm doing all the net admin stuff now account stuff... Server stuff... core stuff, firewall stuff.. Blah blah blah blah... Basically I do everything IT related.  Manage and design and deploy wireless APs and coordinate new cable runs.  Avaya phone system management... Who knows what else.  Create all email and blackboard accounts.  Remove them.  Troubleshoot spam blocking appliance issues.  Maintain server room things.  Maintain switch room things.  Help students with password resets.  Printer issues.  Lab software maintenance.  Etc. etc.  You name it... I do it. We're not specialized.  We just do it all from tier 1 to specialized hardware deployments of sensitive networking equipment.  I guess I just don't believe in the phrase "Not my job".  To me?  Everything is my job.  If the kitchen needs help with a cake mixer, and I know how it works?  Heck, I'm there!  Oh we also do security stuff do, like video stuff... I don't know, we just do it all.  iPhone support.  Whatever.  The bottom line is whatever it takes to see that the students are successful academically and that the professors can teach and the staff can support them.

So, 3 techs

1 helpdesk coordinator

1 director of IT

1 Phone guy

1 Instructional technology guy

1 VP of IT existed at one point as well

Now was have 2 techs, 1 helpdesk coordinator and 1 director.  We use a consulting company for some phone stuff...

And the college is bigger in size than when I first started.  They have a clinic for the pscyh department.  A second part of campus across the street that they purchased and an international language department that wasn't there before.

Anyways I guess since we've had the same core 3 people for a good almost 10 years now... With no turn over... We've just gotten to the point where we know it all very quickly and so we can support more faster.

The current situation is a bit extreme though.  I think honestly we should have 1 more guy including my boss.  But, it's tough to convince money people to spend money.  Money people never want to add more staff they love to take away though.

Which is a no brainer... It saves money.  Obviously.

But anyways I can do this fine for this week... But longer term?  Running the department with 1 coordinator and 2 techs isn't really sustainable.

It's certainly been an interesting week though...  I had to modify some habits though to be able to make it through...

What did I do to make it through a week down 33 percent of our core workforce of 3 people to two?

So first off I cut out my wine and beer treats.  That gave me more energy off the bat.

I went to yoga EVERY night.  That upped my energy more too... and it helps with managing wrist pain.  Helps a TON.

I went to bed earlier.  Also helps.

I double fisted my caffeine.  So, I made coffee AND tea... then sipped both throughout the day alternating between them.

Next, I made extra healthy dinners and also made fruit and veggie shakes.

By the time I got to today?  I was buzzing!

I'm just like... GAME ON!

But it got me thinking.... How fined tuned can I make myself?

And why stop even once my boss is back?

Why not just boost my own energy using health shakes, yoga, sleep, tea and coffee, cut out alcohol...

Basically, how this world kind of works is, it's a little like a competition.  Everyone is trying to make lots of money and find those coveted jobs that pay the most.

Obviously those jobs go to the smartest, the fastest, the people who have the energy and drive to go after those.

Polish a resume, stuff it full of 25 activities and degrees and volunteer things...

Just like... Imagine if you REALLY had something like what the guy in the movie Limitless had.  Like, unlimited energy and intelligence?

"Well, I did go to Yale, triple majored if I do say so myself.  Finished 2 masters degrees along with my 3 undergrad degrees.  I work 12 hours a day 7 days a week, volunteer, go to 4 gyms, and am the head of 8 community clubs... I'll be in Peru later this week to help starving local people and setup a food bank followed by France next week for an awards ceremony..."

Basically you're a robot.

What's weird though is, there are people like that!  I mean, if you've ever heard a graduation speaker... They usually sound like that.

It's some guy/girl who's on 12 boards and is the CEO of 5 nonprofits and for profit companies simulationsly.  He/she'll tell you how he skips rope 6 thousand skips every morning when she/he wakes up, drinks 12 cups of green tea and then makes a gallon size health smoothie all before 6 am.

And that's on 2 hours sleep he or she gets each night.

Most people work 9-5 and are pooped... and can barely just wash the dishes in their sink.

Actually, that was me.  It's crazy, so I'm in no way like those examples of the people who do 80 million things a day...

But I will say that cutting out alcohol, going to yoga every single night right after work, making a fruit and veggie smoothie, using tea and coffee to boost work performance...  I even went to the gym a couple of nights too.

Has made me feel a little bit more in that "go getter" category.  I'm certainly nothing like those graduation speaker people who tell the students their entire life story and it takes 50 hours for them just to get through the basic accomplishments.

So for now I think I'll say game on and continue to do lots of these more healthy things and see where it takes me!

I mean, I'm pretty sure it never hurts to improve or work on yourself.  And hey sometimes it takes your boss being out for a week suddenly to make you see that.