Playlist for Govies and Citizens

Encounters with the government and its processes sometimes induce anxiety and stress. Indeed, government workers too can become anxious when working within the established systems.

To outsiders, it may seem that the system is manipulated to hinder their progress with unnecessary obstacles — it may even seem that way to govies. The red tape –  seemingly redundant and duplicate forms and documents – and waiting periods can make for unpleasant dialogue, leading to distrust and creating heavy burdens. Everyone in government does their best and their contributions can go unnoticed or unrecognized.

Let’s lighten up the mood.

This playlist is offered, tongue-in-cheek, to cheer us up when we’re under pressure. Of course, some of these songs may apply more to those who have public-facing or external customer service positions. Some of these songs were performed by several artists but it is the spirit of the name of the song that is intended for application here.

Enjoy!

For the public

• When looking for information on a government website: U2’s I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.

• When walking into a public facing office to get some form of I.D.: Welcome to the Jungle by Guns ‘n Roses.

• When a passenger’s expensive bottle of perfume has to be voluntarily abandoned at the airport checkpoint: Smokey Robinson’s The Tears of a Clown.

• When you think you have all the documents necessary to apply for some government service but you don’t: Tears for Fears’ Shout.

• When your passport was supposed to arrive a week ago and you are scheduled to depart for your dream international vacation tomorrow: Bobby McFerrin’s Don’t Worry, Be Happy.

• When given an answer that is not satisfactory or what you wanted to hear: Hall and Oates’s I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do).

• When an agency’s automated phone system puts you on hold, only to hang up on you after several minutes of waiting: I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor.

For govies

• When told that your purchase request is in queue until Congress passes a budget or continuing resolution: Wilson Phillips’ Hold On.

• When your boss initiates furlough protocol in the last few days of September: Leeann Rimes’ How Do I Live.

• Monday morning: Rolling Stones’s Start Me Up.

• When it is time for your annual review: Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion’s The Prayer.

• When you have already missed sharing dinner with your loved ones because you are still at your desk well into the night: Dolly Parton’s Nine-to-five will probably give you a little comfort.

• And finally, heading into the weekend, you look back at your long and stressful week: Vangelis’s Chariots of Fire.

This is not a comprehensive list of situations that govies encounter or that the public perceive. This is intended to make you laugh. Perhaps you will remember one of these songs when having a government-induced challenge.

Featured Blogger, Joseph Novick, wrote about the benefits of humor in the government, go over and read his blog post, if you have not yet done so and hopefully you will find humor in your day.

Try to be someone’s Bridge Over Troubled Water (Simon & Garfunkel) when your coworker has been told by their superiors that This is How We Do It (Montell Jordan). Finally, always try your best to Roar (Katy Perry) when you feel that all you do is Work, work, work, work, work (Rihanna).

Nicole Napuunoa is part of the GovLoop Featured Blogger program, where we feature blog posts by government voices from all across the country (and world!). To see more Featured Blogger posts, click here.