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2004-03-11 Work Craziness I am exhausted. Maybe not the best way to start an entry, but hey, it's the first thing that popped into my mind. I'm still working at that place as the official "Go-To Girl", and for the most part, I'm enjoying it. But man. Talk about being busy. I like being busy at work. For one thing, it makes the day go a hell of a lot faster, and for another, my conscience nags at me if I'm sitting around, surfing the web when I'm being paid to work, even if it's not my own fault (say, when I have nothing else to do and no one has anything for me). That is so not a problem these days. Every day when I leave, there are 8 or 9 (sometimes more) things on my next day's To-Do list, and I continue to add to it as the day progresses. If it wasn't for that list, I know I'd be lost. Today was hectic, and not in an especially good way. I didn't really get to have a lunch - I mean, I ate (if I don't, I start feeling sick and there's always the possibility of passing out), but I had my sandwich at my desk while working, rather than my usual routine of eating quickly, and then either going to sit in the car to work on writing, or going for a walk (Note: In case you're wondering, there's no way I could just sit quietly in the office all lunch hour because I wouldn't get a break. I'd have people running up to me all the time). Working through lunch is okay, once in awhile. I just don't want it to become a habit. My only problem is this: because they've been having some financial/business troubles, they can't afford to hire too many people. Our sales manager tried the company out for a week, didn't like what he was doing, and quit. And guess who (temporarily, supposedly) got some of that workload? Yup. Me. During my 8:30 to 5:00 shift, I'm basically "on-call" by 3 different people on a regular basis, and sometimes 4 or 5. And they all consider the task they're assigning to me to be "Top Priority #1". So. I'm making files for the president that will be connected with the sales aspect, and he's pushing and pushing for me to get it done. Obviously that's a priority because, well, he's the president. HOWEVER, I'm also taking care of transport stuff, and that usually involves a shipment that has to go out that same day, the next, or if I'm lucky, a couple of days from now. Since such a task involves "shopping around" for the best rates, choosing a transport company, getting the customs documents prepared and sent off, creating P.O.'s all the while running around to get all the information I need, that's a huge priority. Then there are faxes to send, letters to type, fedexes to put through, etc. etc. on top of acting as receptionist. And these are all considered to be "Top Priority". In summary, sometimes I feel like I'm being spread a wee bit on the thin side, and I'm not quite sure what to do about it. I have trouble saying "no" to people, especially when I know it HAS to be done. I've worked on those files for the president, but they're definitely not done, and he's coming in first thing in the morning. I mean, it's not like he doesn't know that they're not done - he asks about them everytime he calls in. I just hope that he's happy with the progress I've made. And for any of you who are thinking, "Well, you might have to work some overtime", there are two responses to that: a) I can't because I don't have a key to the place nor the alarm code. The only way you get that is if they know you're going to do overtime a lot. b) I don't want to do overtime. If I could just do it once or twice, fine. But with these people, as great as they are, if they see you doing it once, you end up doing it all the time. They begin to expect it of you. And I have things I want to do at home. I give them 7.5 hours of my time (or, on days like today, 8.5). Once it's 5, it's quitting time because I want to go home and work on my book. Because that's MY dream. Anyway. It's definitely a learning experience and I know I'm growing from it. I know I won't be at this company forever (and the guy who actually hired me apparently knows that too), and to be honest, despite all the above complaining, I do like it. But now I think I'm going to head to bed. Thank god tomorrow's Friday. |
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