Beware the Pinch Points
Volume 150
Shortly after I graduated college, I had foot and ankle surgery. The next month or so involved me slowly navigating my 3rd floor walk up on crutches. Eventually, the cast came off and that’s when the real work began: physical therapy.
But my job working at the UNC General Alumni Association didn’t stop. And it was getting intense with student meetings and events as we moved towards the end of the academic year.
Despite working just a 1/4 mile from the gym, my physical therapy took a back seat to my work and I skipped several weeks of critical rehab. My left calf is still paying the price; it’s still never developed the way my right calf has.
Pinch points are areas where two objects come together with force, crushing whatever gets between it. Think heavy machinery in factories or big closing doors. As you can imagine, they can be quite dangerous if you don’t account for them.
And that’s what I faced when I had that busy time at work after my surgery over 20 years ago. In my current role at Duke, I have a couple of these pinch points a year: mid-March through mid-May and mid-July through mid-September. These two two-month stretches are when a lot of my programs, meetings, and responsibilities come together in swirl of deadlines, presentations, and follow-up.
We all will have these pinch points at times in our lives. The trick is managing them so you don’t lose a finger.
The first step is to recognize the pinch points. My first year at Duke, I was not prepared for these pinch points because everything is a blur in a new job. Even more complex is that my role is unique so I couldn’t even key off when my colleagues pinch points were. The second year is when it hit me. “Ohhh, I see what’s going on here…”
The second step is to adjust for the pinch points. Once I knew they were coming, I could adjust my approach. Do a little extra planning during my slower times. Systematize as much as I can. Delegate if it’s not something that I can add my unique perspective to.
And the final step is to recuperate from the pinch points. Even if you avoid getting caught up in the pinch point like I did with my rehab, these times can still be intense. Late nights, early mornings, missed dates with your spouse and missed basketball games with your kids. When you emerge from your pinch point, find time to recuperate and invest in those that you haven’t given as much to recently.
Pinch points are inevitable. But with some foresight and flexibility, you can make it through without lasting damage.
Photo by Tim Ide via Wikipedia
