Q. I am totally depressed at my job. We're a tiny organization of only eight people, and I found out we're going to be cutting the staff by half. Of course that means I get to take on more work as a result, with no greater pay.
The transition plan in place to go from eight to four people seems totally inadequate and unrealistic. I just don't see how we're going to get as much done with half the people, since expectations for our work have not been adjusted.
I get a new boss, too, which I'm not too excited about. I'm trying to keep perspective because, one, I still have a job and, two, this happens to people all the time, and they deal with it. But I'm looking for tips on how to do so myself.
A. For starters, you should give yourself a break. Accept that you simply are not going to be able to get everything done as you did before and set realistic goals. You should, of course, work with your new supervisor to secure the supervisor's buy-in regarding those goals. If she or he expects more than you can deliver, you will need to become comfortable with the idea that you are simply not going to meet expectations. And that's OK. In the wake of a 50 percent staff cut, you will have a lot to deal with emotionally on top of the increased workload. You must focus on your well-being first, or you can otherwise count on failure.
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