Asking For Help Isn't Admitting Weakness

In just two short weeks, my two-year-old son and I will be saying goodbye to my husband as he embarks on a six-month deployment with the United States Air Force. Although we have known this time would be coming for almost a year, it didn’t really start to hit home until very recently. Thankfully my husband is very organized, so over the past six months he has been making a list of things for me to remember that he would normally take care of. For example, emptying the gas in the lawn mower before winter, blowing out the sprinklers, and covering the deck furniture (although I have faith in myself that I would have done this one without a reminder).  

I further prepared by sending dates that I would be out of town for work to my family, knowing I would need someone to stay with my son while I was gone. We also decided to hire a lawn mowing and cleaning company to assist me in his absence. But let me tell you, it was not easy for me to admit that it would be nice to have the help. When my husband and I first talked about getting outside help, I almost took it personally. I kept telling myself, “I can make time” or “The cost isn’t worth it” or the very vague, “I’ll figure it out.” But when I really thought about all of the other things on my plate, and still making time for myself, I realized, “Well, why not?” Why not get outside help so I can focus on the important things: spending time with my son, devoting attention to my work at Wipfli, and ensuring I also have some time for myself.  

Realizing the need for outside assistance can be the first step to relief. Whether you are an institution with no designated internal audit staff, a one-person regulatory compliance function, minimal information technology manpower, or in my case, a working mom with a two-year-old, asking for help should not be seen as a lack of ability or have a negative connotation. Instead, this should be seen as positive reinforcement of your ability to delegate and ensure you’re spending your time on the most important things. So don’t be afraid to ask Wipfli for help and always remember that many times it takes a village to keep things running smoothly and to keep us all sane.