It’s been a bit of a rough go at work lately. I’m impatient, snarky, rude, brash, curt, and just unpleasant a lot of the time. The good relationships that I had with students are being jeopardized because I don’t put the energy into maintaining them. With staff, I’m finding myself complaining more to and about them.
A podcast I was listening to, I can’t remember which one but I think it was WorkLife with Adam Grant, mentioned that doing things for others can help boost your own sense of well-being and happiness. So, I thought I’d put out some coffee for the folks at work. I’ve been banging on about how someone should do something to boost moral. “Something simple,” I say, “like bringing in coffee!”
I have an office, unlike most teachers who have classrooms. My office is in the library. In my office, with windows all around and walls that are about 12-feet short of the ceiling, there’s a counter with a sink in it. On that counter is a Keurig machine. Underneath the sink is a box full of k-cups. Kirkland Signature.
Oh, I should mention that public schools in Ontario are not allowed to provide staff with refreshments. So, there’s no coffee machine at work. Imagine, over 60 staff and nearly 750 students, and there’s no coffee machine.
I will admit that I felt good about myself for putting the coffee out. I was a bit smug when I hit send on the broadcast email. I enjoy including an anecdote and a joke or two in the emails I send out so I’m always anxious to see what the feedback will be. With this one, I wasn’t expecting too many people to take advantage of my offer.
By the end of the day, I don’t think that anyone came through. Turns out, not everyone got the email.
Can’t win ‘em all, I guess.
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