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Excuses, reasons, and why the Donk is in non-active mode.
15 years ago
General
Heya everyone. I feel like I haven't really gotten in touch with you guys in a while and, it needs done, kinda sorta, maybe, I donno. You deserve to hear from me any way.
My current stress levels in "the REAL WORLD" are high enough at this point they're causing me health problems probably and a decent amount of mental anguish. Normally I don't think a person should be spread this thin, but I just feel stretched, wore out, hurt, mangled, and barely human any more (not the furry sense, just a living being really).
For example here's a daily slice of the life of the Sarcadonk:
Wake up at 3 AM. If working an early shift, pack lunches, get ready for work, set everything right in the house, and go to work. If I work late hours, sit around for 9-10 hours before my shift starts. Why not sleep in you ask? I've spent the last 2 years getting up at 2 or 3 AM. I'm really used to it and can't sleep after that.
So lets say I work an early shift, which I like. I get to work, find I'm the only person scheduled for the first three or four hours. That's fine, no biggy. But I'm also expected to do the job of the person who was also supposed to come in at that time, plus my job and get it done in record time. If I don't I get my ass ripped when my department lead comes in at 7. Okay fine. So that happens, nearly every day. I can't do two jobs in less than four hours when it takes me at minimum, working breakneck speed to get one done in 6 when I'm scheduled for an 8 hour shift. Like today, I go in. We're three people short, I get no help, So far today I've done donuts, baked bread, and am going back to decorate cakes which mind you they took $.20 of my pay off because I no longer wanted to be a cake decorator buuuut, nope still gotta do them, and not get paid for it to boot.
My work area is kept a mess from other associates who have to finish my half jobs as I'm shuffled around. My manager doesn't care for health code and stacks boxes of food on the floors in the freezers. Other departments get pissy with me because I can't fit any more of my own freight in our freezers. Pumpkin pies are the bane of my existance. Most of this usually results in a break down, panic attack, or something like that that leaves me shaking in anger and crying in frustration and ready to blow my top. Luckily I can calm myself down before I walk out on my job, but I'm nearly at the end of my rope.
If I work a late shift, not only am I more or less going in when I'd normally be off work. I've already been up for 9 hours, I'm tired as hell. Cranky. And I go in to the store being full of associates and customers and my whole day is fucked because I have one of my weird social anxiety attacks/break downs and go into numb robot mode. I don't get home till two or three hours after when I'm normally in bed I don't get to see anyone I live with/befriended to or anything. I go straight to bed and get up at 3 AM the next day just to do it all over again.
Which is fine, I only work 5 days a week right? I get two off to recoup right? Yeah but they're split up, not together so all I get done on my days off is either chores or pushing them aside to just reboot/relax. I know being out on my own and being a grown up is and will be hard, but cooperate bullshit makes it worse.
I have no set schedule, I work 40 hours a week, doing a job that I once really enjoyed but can't take any more. I feel the need and want to draw when I'm off but I'm so tired and burnt out it doesn't work and I feel horrible and pressured because I can't get done what I want and need to for my personal art, let alone commissioners. So I go into hiding and sort of slink away from my art and what makes me happy and enjoying the community.
So in short life needs to be fun again. I need to draw more when I get up the gumption to do it and I think right now I need to do a few things for myself to get all of this frustration out before I go on to working for others. I'm sorry for the delay folks and the ranting but, I'm at my wits end and need to find something new.
My current stress levels in "the REAL WORLD" are high enough at this point they're causing me health problems probably and a decent amount of mental anguish. Normally I don't think a person should be spread this thin, but I just feel stretched, wore out, hurt, mangled, and barely human any more (not the furry sense, just a living being really).
For example here's a daily slice of the life of the Sarcadonk:
Wake up at 3 AM. If working an early shift, pack lunches, get ready for work, set everything right in the house, and go to work. If I work late hours, sit around for 9-10 hours before my shift starts. Why not sleep in you ask? I've spent the last 2 years getting up at 2 or 3 AM. I'm really used to it and can't sleep after that.
So lets say I work an early shift, which I like. I get to work, find I'm the only person scheduled for the first three or four hours. That's fine, no biggy. But I'm also expected to do the job of the person who was also supposed to come in at that time, plus my job and get it done in record time. If I don't I get my ass ripped when my department lead comes in at 7. Okay fine. So that happens, nearly every day. I can't do two jobs in less than four hours when it takes me at minimum, working breakneck speed to get one done in 6 when I'm scheduled for an 8 hour shift. Like today, I go in. We're three people short, I get no help, So far today I've done donuts, baked bread, and am going back to decorate cakes which mind you they took $.20 of my pay off because I no longer wanted to be a cake decorator buuuut, nope still gotta do them, and not get paid for it to boot.
My work area is kept a mess from other associates who have to finish my half jobs as I'm shuffled around. My manager doesn't care for health code and stacks boxes of food on the floors in the freezers. Other departments get pissy with me because I can't fit any more of my own freight in our freezers. Pumpkin pies are the bane of my existance. Most of this usually results in a break down, panic attack, or something like that that leaves me shaking in anger and crying in frustration and ready to blow my top. Luckily I can calm myself down before I walk out on my job, but I'm nearly at the end of my rope.
If I work a late shift, not only am I more or less going in when I'd normally be off work. I've already been up for 9 hours, I'm tired as hell. Cranky. And I go in to the store being full of associates and customers and my whole day is fucked because I have one of my weird social anxiety attacks/break downs and go into numb robot mode. I don't get home till two or three hours after when I'm normally in bed I don't get to see anyone I live with/befriended to or anything. I go straight to bed and get up at 3 AM the next day just to do it all over again.
Which is fine, I only work 5 days a week right? I get two off to recoup right? Yeah but they're split up, not together so all I get done on my days off is either chores or pushing them aside to just reboot/relax. I know being out on my own and being a grown up is and will be hard, but cooperate bullshit makes it worse.
I have no set schedule, I work 40 hours a week, doing a job that I once really enjoyed but can't take any more. I feel the need and want to draw when I'm off but I'm so tired and burnt out it doesn't work and I feel horrible and pressured because I can't get done what I want and need to for my personal art, let alone commissioners. So I go into hiding and sort of slink away from my art and what makes me happy and enjoying the community.
So in short life needs to be fun again. I need to draw more when I get up the gumption to do it and I think right now I need to do a few things for myself to get all of this frustration out before I go on to working for others. I'm sorry for the delay folks and the ranting but, I'm at my wits end and need to find something new.
Hope things improve soon.
I appreciate the update. No Pressure.
I suggest trying to see if you can score a job in a different bakery to alleviate the stress levels. Nobody needs to go through that kind of bullshit.
Surely there are some ways you can make these rat bastards behave without them firing you.
And really, you can't do more than you can do. If they're running you that ragged, and won't accept the consequences of not having enough people on in the morning, then it's REALLY time for you to find a new job.
I know it's easy for me to sit and say "you should, you should", and so forth... But honestly, it sounds like this job's bad for you!
I remember working jobs with no set schedule and split days off. I hated it with a passion. One of the jobs was customer service at a chain computer store. Oh lord, there are so many people out there that just should not own computers. LOL
I think Rabbi has a decent idea, maybe see if there are any privately/family run bakeries in your area that need someone with experience.
Going to keep thinking good thoughts for you and hope something decent comes your way soon.
If you want to talk, drop me a line in note or at my email.
*Hugs*
This will get a couple balls rolling that the Store managers cannot ignore anymore.
I hope something comes of this, very soon. Something good. :c
I can tell you that the situation will never actually improve unless and until you do something to force the issue.
Managers tend to get comfortable with doing things that benefit themselves, no matter what it does to the people who work for them.
And burning employees out is the usual result.
Had it done to me a couple of times- once they get you to agree to work stupid hours, they decide their problem is fixed and they forget about it, no matter what they might tell you about temporary scheduling... If they bothered to say anything at all.
They are not going to be nice to you and take the pressure off until they are forced to by outside authority, or the loss of personnel because someone quits.
The earlier advice about taking this higher up the chain of command is good and appropriate, as its clear the managers who work with you directly are giving no thought to what their treatment of you is doing to you personally.
I would also start seriously talking to other bakeries or delis for a different job.
There is no reason on earth to take abusive hours or working conditions, because theres always other work.
-Badger-