There Exists More Which Unites Us Than Divides Us – Start With Self Respect and Empathy for Co-Workers

October 28, 2012

Studies show that multitasking is less productive and may even damage your brain, despite this employers continue to increase workloads. What can you do, Start with self respect.

The ‘fabric’ of who we are today and what we may become tomorrow is interwoven with threads from our history and culture. History and culture also mold our work ‘communities’, and like cheering for a home team, as employees not too long ago we prided ourselves on our home site and department.

Sincethousands of hours are spent at work, pride for a particular site or department is emotionally and physically beneficial. Unfortunately with the changes taking place over the last few years throughout the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), departmental pride at least for many employees like low tide, has receded.

A Stanford University study found that multitasking is less productive than doing a single thing at a time. The researchers also found that people who are regularly bombarded with several streams of electronic information cannot pay attention, recall information, or switch from one job to another as well as those who complete one task at a time.
Forbes Magazine

At this moment you are facing the largest attack on your quality of life, on your work-life-balance. Studies show that multitasking is less productive than doing a single thing at a time and may even damage your brain. Despite this employers continue to increase workloads; don’t replace sick calls, employees’ on vacations, don’t post vacant positions within the ninety-day delay, etc.

What Can You Do?

First, you can start by respecting yourself and take your breaks and lunches, they allow your mind and body to recharge. If you work through your lunch or break then ensure you are properly paid (or time banked) at the overtime rate.
Read More: It Is Illegal to Remunerate or Bank Overtime Hours at the Regular Salary Rate

Isn’t this the advise you’d give your children, or a good friend. Your time is precious and irreplaceable, once gone you don’t get it back.

The next step is to set aside your indifference, your apathy for co-workers, because you share two important common denominators. You are members of the human race and you need to work for a living.

First They Came

By Martin Niemöller

First they came for the socialists, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.