Last week, I finally couldn’t handle the stress anymore (read previous posts) and admitted it. My boss and others were very responsive and it has been such a load off my mind. Adjustments have been made, and more are being considered. Honestly, just the acknowledgement has been so freeing.
Today, I told my team that I would be doing less HR manager things and would be concentrating on more individual contributing. That I would still be doing Tech Lead things but would be asking for more help on the architecture side. The response I got from them was so welcome.
They were actually happy for me. Happy that I would be doing more of what I liked. I also made sure I emphasized the point that Individual Contributor is a path forward for their career. That they do not have to be a manager to get promoted.
And, at least for one, he was very relieved that I was also admitting that I was super stressed. He had been on vacation last week – because he had been so stressed out. All of us, just admitting that we’re all feeling it, the pressure from work, from COVID-19 – maybe in different ways but we’re all affected.