Hey all, I'd like some advice with a problem i'm having. Some of you may know this, but my job has me doing ridiculous schedules. Typically i work til 9pm on friday, have to work 6am-10am saturday morning and then work 11pm-730am that night. And recently i've had other schedule changes, it really messes with my sleep. Anymore i take melatonin to help sleep when i need to.

Its getting to the point where its wearing me out and all i do is sleep all weekend because i'm just too tired to do anything else. I'll probably go sleep soon after this post and the sleep all day tommorow.

My question is, when do i tell my manager enough is enough and i can't do it anymore? I know i'm needed there during these hours, i don't want to lose money and i don't want to mess any possible chances of advancement up either. So i'm really kind of stuck, if anyone has any advice i'd greatly appreciate it.

 

Hey Keane,

From what I've read about your job through your posts, you seem very unhappy with your job. You seem as if your work is not appreciated and the pay is not deserving of what you are being asked to do. You seem to keep holding on the the brass ring of advancement, so I have to ask.
Will advancement in your current job truly make you happy?
Are you planning on working there for the rest of your life, or is this just a stop until you can get a better job?
Is there another job you can get to get you through school?

I would personally start looking at other employment options as it really seems you have not been a happy employee for quite a while now. There is nothing worse than going to a job day after day that you hate going too. It seems as if a dark cloud grows over your head every time you go to work (this is more from my personal experience with other jobs, but it relates to what you are going through) this is how I felt at one of my other jobs. Every day I would sit and get myself in a bad mood just even thinking about having to go in to the place, but I wouldn't just quit because the money was too good and I had too much of my life invested in it to walk away. The day they announced they were closing was one of the happiest days for me (and at the time I was going through a divorce and custody battle so one would assume that hearing you are losing your job is a bad thing, but in fact it was just what I needed to finally get out of the place).

Quite simply life is too short to continue to do something that makes you unhappy or takes your time and energy away from you and doesn't make you feel happy or satisfied when it does.

I would honestly look for some other type of employment as from what I have read you truly are trying your best and giving 110% and not feeling appreciated for your extra time and effort. I know that this is not always an option as bills have to be paid and having money is a good thing, but if you find something that pays less but where you are appreciated it might make your entire life a lot less stressful and more enjoyable.

 

Hi `Keane,
I'm sorry to read that you are still having problems at work that are affecting your life & your health.

`Ken, posted some great information to follow (Thanks `Ken for helping one of our Monte Carlo Family Member's).

`Keane, when was the last time to went to the doctor's to get a complete physical examine ? I know you are on a diet, but do you exercise every day or during the week. Stress can wear a person down `if they are not in good physical condition.

If you haven't been to a doctor recently, I would make an appointment & get a good check up. Wish you good luck
on resolving your work & mind/body & spirit issues. * There are many resources on the web to check out on these issues, problems that you are encountering/experiencing.

Below links from Dr Google
(I hope that they may help you ?)
Below link from Dr `Space Note* I'm really not a doctor, I just play one on the MCF
How to be happy: Tips for cultivating contentment?<

 

The fact that you stated you require medication to sleep when you have time to sleep is a big flag to me. It would be one thing if you liked the work/pay and this was temporary (1-4 weeks is temporary, months is not).

When you now make yourself or have to take medication to allow you and your body to do what is required to compensate for problems caused by random/erratic scheduling, this is not healthy. Again, temporary, I could see that as permit-able, but extending further, that's not right. Long term these could (if they have not) develop into larger scale health problems and dependency on medications that you should not need.

I've had projects before that required long hours of me and crazy schedules (I was one one project that one every couple of months, I would have 1, sometimes 2 70-80 hour work weeks, I worked another project that for 3 days straight, I only had 3-4 hours of sleep, same as the team I was on to accomplish a goal). These were temporary situations and tolerable because of that.

Consider having a conversation with your manager. Have a goal in mind. It's not that you are not willing to be a team player, but you feel the erratic scheduling is causing you health problems and sleep problems. I think you are more then willing to work any time they need you, but you need some room to get a consistent sleep pattern going.

 

Thank you all for your tips, the reason i take the melatonin is beacause i'll sometimes go bed so early, i'll lay awake for hours and get even less sleep. I normally go to bed after midnight. When i first ended up on this schedule i thought it was temporary as it started with someone being off and it just never changed since.

Ken, my normal thinking says there is no hope for advancement, i am in a management training program, so i'd like to think there is a glimmer of hope. I don't intend to work here forever, just until i get my degree and can get a better job. I've applied to alot of places in say the last year, with zero results. Others around here are having the same issue, they can't find another job thats better.

I do feel underpaid and overworked, though in recent months i've had someone complaining i don't do enough work which makes me second guess myself. I do want to talk with the store manager soon to see if i can get a raise, and this nonsense plus other stuff will be part of my reasoning.

I just don't want to admit that i have an issue and can't do what they're asking me to do anymore, i feel like i'll be letting them down, but at the same time i complain about it week after week.

Space, i haven't had a physical in probably a year or so, i was in good shape last time around.

 

This is my job every week. I average 70-80hrs a week every week and on occasion work up around 100hrs a week. I don't have a set schedule of when I go to work or when I'm getting off I just get a call the night before telling me start time and once we get there we are there until the company man sends us home. I don't get a lot of sleep but it's part of my job. It's hard but I've gotten used to doing it and it's my way of living. It pays the bills and gives me and the wife a good life so that's all I care about.

I live by this little saying "make the money while you can, sleep when your dead"

I hope everything works out for you!