Unsolicited Advice #00

Think carefully before making demands of someone's time. When you're berating someone for not making time for lunch, coffee, a phone call, a text, what you're saying is their time with you should take priority over what is currently on their plate. We have to understand people function, and perceive time differently. Some folks feel best when working two jobs, participating on a committee, volunteering, interning, mentoring youth, and having at least 1 coffee date a week with a friend. Others feel best putting all their energy into one activity and having a lunch date once a month. Feeling overwhelmed does not always correlate with the workload that can be seen. For some, interacting with folks in their 9-5 is incredibly overwhelming, and requires decompressing in silence for the remainder of the day, making a text exchange a burden.

Before taking action, consider the person you're dealing with and the potential reasons for their behavior. It's not always about you.