The Impact of Bureaucracy
The recent article by David Brooks "Death by a Thousand Paper Cuts" in The New York Times (Jan. 18) describes the massive impact that bureaucracy has on our lives...more, I suspect, than many of us realize. We are impacted by it from time to time, but the extent of its octopus-like grasp on our lives is increasing. Is there anything we can do to protect ourselves? First, some particulars:
"Over a third of all health care costs go to administration." Why? Insurers want to limit paying out benefits, so they have masses of employees whose function is to argue with doctors' offices about paying for covered treatments that patients need. Your medical expenses are greater than necessary because of this. And for those who can't afford self-pay, their health may be compromised.
"The growth of bureaucracy" is such that, according to the Harvard Business Review, "there is now one administrator or manager for every 4.7 employees..." These managers spend their time on various activities that are of questionable value. For instance, they plan wellness activities that are not used, and they design trainings on social awareness that are actually resented by many employees. You may find yourself at the mercy of systems that have been created by people who aren't familiar with your workflow, and that actually make it harder rather than easier to get your work done.
"The Massachusetts Institute of Technology now has almost eight times as many nonfaculty employees as faculty employees." This is typical of many colleges and universities. No wonder college costs so much now and no wonder so many students are saddled with debt. If you (or your children) have attended college in recent years, your finances have probably been severely impacted by this expense.
What Does This Mean for Us?
Bureaucracy burdens us with negative feelings that cause discomfort. Expenses that shouldn't occur and time that is lost can cause frustration and even rage. Coping with bureaucracy that makes life harder, with no way to change it and no way out, can cause feelings of despair. Loss of control can rob us of our autonomy and initiative, squelching creativity and leading to feelings of depletion.
Can an Inner Guide Help?
Usually, I describe how an Inner Guide can help solve a problem. But bureaucracy is too large a problem for your Inner Guide to solve all by itself. It may be able to offer help to some who are in a position to effect a change. But for the rest of us, it can help by muting the uncomfortable feelings that occur. When I encounter a situation that would ordinarily evoke feelings of anger, I cope with the situation as best I can; but rather than feeling angry, I may feel only a brief moment of annoyance. When I've been in an unpleasant situation at work, my Inner Guide has caused me to emotionally distance myself from it so that I'm spared uncomfortable feelings.
If you haven't already done so, you can acquire an Inner Guide, too. It's here:
https://emotionalcomfort.com/blog/post/you-can-acquire-an-inner-guide-part-4
