October 31, 2019
3 Hard Things I’ve Experienced Since Shifting My Workload
by Michael Hughes
I’ve recently shifted my role at Gymnazo and had less on the floor training time than ever in my professional life. It has been humbling for several reasons:
- I have had to re-learn how to use my time wisely. I used to get 20-30 minutes in between sessions to quickly respond to emails, knock out that facility project that was driving me nuts, or program for a client. Now I have 4-5 hours with no clear list of things to do, in an order of prioritization. WHOLE different experience.
- I’ve had to relinquish more control over clients that I normally work with. Now that I’m off the floor almost entirely on Tuesdays and Fridays, I’m walking past sessions I typically run, and I see other coaches coaching my rockstars. I certainly miss each and every one of those athletes.
- I’ve had to get serious about protecting my energy levels to focus for hours on end. It’s HARD to keep energy high and up while in a static position like standing or sitting. I’ve never had so many aches and pains, because I’ve never been so stationary.
It’s reminded me of several really true statements I wanted to share with you all.
- Doing something you’re out of practice with is NEVER easy, nor or something you should expect to be good at. This is true for me where I’m suddenly having to manage my own time and track it to the completion of projects. BUT it’s also true for the athlete who feels like they’ve let themselves go and are out of shape. The getting back into shape doesn’t just happen. We all know there is a lot of soreness, feeling like you look weird doing movement patterns, and having to practice pushing through mental hurdles. And most importantly, it’s about not losing heart or giving up. One thing is certain; eventually you will figure it out, and you will evolve and grow and be stronger for it.
- It’s a healthy reminder to me that if you pick quality human beings to be on your team and then invest in their skills and passions… they will become so powerful and successful you can take a step back and watch them shine. I’m so proud of my team. They are so inspiring to me and I feel honored to work with each and every one of them. The fact that I’m not missed is a HUGE compliment to me and ultimately to them.
- I have never related more to the white collar workforce than I do now.The reality of having to sustain your focus, while in a sitting/standing position, and stay inspired to grind out seemingly redundant work is a lot harder than I expected. I’ve been so used to working with athletes, feeding into their energy, and responding to stimulus and solving problems as delivered to me. It was a luxury and I see that now. What’s challenging for me now is looking at the long list of small tasks, all connected to a big project, and having to get excited about it, all alone in an office with no one to talk to. It’s been eye opening to feel aches and pains associated to reduced movement, and to feel more isolated and less stimulated which requires me to take my energy more seriously and have rituals to elevate it and sustain it. If you’re reading this from a white collar job, I applaud you and am even more passionate about serving you. What you do, day in and day out, your body was not designed to do and it is HARD. Hang in there. We will continue to seek to serve you and offer more solutions to aid you in your desire to be focused, motivated, and pain free.
It’s always good to get out of your comfort zone and change things up. It keeps us all growing, expanding and challenged. I’m in a new type of challenge in my work and I am thankful for the lessons it’s afforded me. Thank you all for being a part of that! If you hadn’t believed in Gymnazo at one point and invested with us, I wouldn’t be in the position of productizing what we’ve built, to bring it to a much larger market. I’m forever grateful.
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