Does Your Sense of Authority Fluctuate Throughout the Day?
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Tip
No matter your rank in the workplace, it's likely that your sense of authority rises and falls throughout the day — depending on who you're meeting with, what you're working on, and how you're feeling. Research has shown that these shifts cause stress, so it’s best to avoid multiple fluctuations each day.
One way to do this is to cluster tasks. Review your calendar from the past week and consider which meetings or activities prompted you to feel more and less powerful. Going forward, try to cluster tasks that give you a sense of authority, like giving advice or meeting with a direct report, on the same day of the week if possible.
Similarly, group tasks on your calendar that are likely to make you feel less important — like asking for help or talking to your supervisor. You probably don’t have control over how busy you are, but you likely have some control over when certain experiences occur during the work week. It can also help to lean into a routine: arrive and leave work at the same time each day, set aside the first 15 minutes to plan your day, or stick to regular break intervals. Routines increase the predictability of your workflow (decreasing fluctuations).
Finally, try to think of yourself differently. Instead of seeing yourself as a “boss” or “direct report,” embrace your identity as a “problem solver,” “relationship builder,” or “change enabler.” These labels will shift your focus away from power dynamics and toward your work.
Translations
🇨🇳 你的权威感一整天都在波动吗?
不管你在工作场所的地位高低，你的权威感在一天中可能会随着你与谁见面、你在做什么以及你的感觉而起伏。研究表明，这些变化会导致压力，所以最好避免每天多次波动。
一种方法是对任务进行分类。回顾一下你过去一周的日程表，想想哪些会议或活动让你感觉更强大或更不强大。接下来，如果可能的话，试着把给你一种权威感的任务集中在一周的同一天，比如给出建议或与直接下属会面。
同样，你日程表上的小组任务可能会让你觉得自己不那么重要——比如寻求帮助或与你的主管交谈。你可能无法控制自己有多忙，但你可以控制工作期间某些事情发生的时间。这也有助于养成一种习惯:每天在同一时间上班和下班，留出前 15 分钟来计划你的一天，或者坚持有规律的休息时间。例程增加了工作流的可预测性(减少波动)。
最后，试着用不同的方式看待自己。与其把自己看作“老板”或“直接下属”，不如把自己看作“问题解决者”、“关系建设者”或“变革推动者”。这些标签会把你的注意力从权力转移到工作上。
