The key to failure is trying to please everybody

Application submitted: Check
References called: Check
Chances of success: Excellent!

I work for a hospital who owns several clinics, some general practice and some specialties, where I am the person who knows what's what with our electronic medical records.  This doesn't make me overly special it would seem until something isn't perfect.  Then it is all my fault...because I am the only one who knows this stuff.

There are many practitioners...headstrong, smart, whiny practitioners...all of whom feel the thing they want is the thing that should be happening in an urgent manner.  Understand that work can certainly continue without the thing they want...each demanding practitioner...but there will be no happiness if they don't get what they most desire.  

I, being one person, can only accomplish so much for so many in an eight hour day.  I don't play favorites but with the non-urgent, provider-requested, work-can-certainly-continue requests, I go with first come, first served.  Then I proceed to add to my ever-growing list of things to do all day long.  Some of these things are urgent, time-sensitive things.  Some are resolving issues when trouble tickets come int.  No matter what it is, everything is demanding of my time to accomplish it.  

I, being one person, do what I can.  I stay late, I come in early, I miss lunch (even though my lunch hour is taken automatically whether I take the time or not)...But still, every day, I add more to my list of things to do.  Now, I have help that was hired, but I barely have time to teach her.  I am trying.  I am tired.

SO, I have learned that everyone wants what they want but I can only do what I can do.  I can't feel guilty that someone didn't get what they wanted.  I work one task at a time.  I triage the tasks and accomplish what I can, putting off what I cannot.  

I cannot make everyone happy.  I could get it all done and still there would be at least one person complaining that I still didn't do enough.

I know this is a common, world-wide problem.  I know I am not alone.  I also know, working the same job for so many years, even though I work for a new company but largely for the same people, leads to guilt that I didn't get something done for someone.  

So, I am happy about the Check, Check, Excellent part of today.  I am not sitting in guilt tonight.  I am sitting in pride.  Tonight gets to be all about me.

I deserve it.

At least tonight.

Tomorrow is another story.

Later...