I have a good job and for me with no degree a very good job. I love my job most days. I have a very hard time getting time off due to various reasons mainly staffing issues or staff with sick children or something scheduled that I must be present for. I need a break.
I feel as if I am forced to drag out of bed 5 days a week and drive to work for an hour and stay there eight and a half hours for money. I have lots of leave accrued both sick and annual. I feel guilty if I call in sick and not half dead. I know what I have is classic burnout. I also do not like to travel so were I take any time off it would be a stay cation.
What can I do to take time without feeling guilty? I have the OK to pretty much come and go as I please as long as I have coverage. If I work a half day of four hours that means a six hour day with the commute. I feel so overwhelmed sometimes. I have thought of just quitting but I don’t want to lose my income and insurance.
I am hormonal. Dealing with menopause and I have separation anxiety from my little dog. Ha. Usually it’s the other way around. I often take the precious one with me with the blessings of my supervisor but have not been able to lately due to VIP visits, inspections etc. Hubster says the reason I will not go anywhere is because of the dog and it is true and silly but when I have him at work I am in no hurry to come home.
I am also dieting and am wondering if that could be making me a tad bit depressed?
Calgon take me away. Please be kind and help me decide how to get a break. :smack:
Help me understand this. You have plenty of leave, which you have earned as part of your compensation package. You can arrange to have someone else cover your job duties. Other people’s absences prevent you from taking time off. You feel guilty if you’re not at work. Are these right?
JUST GO.
Schedule a 2 week vacation, well in advance. Talk to your boss and colleagues to get the time approved if required, and arrange who will cover the aspects of your job which can’t wait for your return.
If you are so vital to your organization that they’ll be in severe crisis mode without you for 10 work days, there’s something wrong.
Take your time off - it’s yours! You earned it! - and do with it whatever makes you happy. Spend time with your dog. Take day trips to dog friendly parks and cafes. Don’t clean the house, unless that makes you happy. Don’t make doctors or dentists appointments - that’s why you have sick leave. ENJOY yourself, relax, and go back to work refreshed.
Sorry your commute is a pain - have you looked at potential carpool or transit options? Even if you are a bit inconvenienced by sticking to a schedule, at least you can use the time to decompress and read/listen to music while you travel.
Agree with take the time that’s owed you. It’s your time. However, if you’re having such a hard time being away from your dog, I think maybe you need to talk to someone about it. You could become a virtual shut-in if you don’t deal with this.
Well, it could be worse. Imagine you were AND you just got a below average review…
Humor is how I deal. I’m in a situation every bit as bad and as raw where they seem to be juicing me like fruit with no illusions that they are going to do anything but throw away the rind as soon as I’m out.
Health wise I’m functional, but its not going to last at this rate.
Go out on a high note & starve? Go out on a low note when I drop at work and the company denies all responsibility? No, if you have to go, Make Your Mark first.
I suffer from similar guilt issues. I deal with it by taking 1 or 2 days off, not 2 weeks. And then when I reach the point you are at right now, I take a week off. In fact, last week I came in on Monday morning, found out my afternoon meeting was cancelled and my Tuesday one wasn’t critical, so I changed my planned W-F to a Mnoon-F off. It was glorious.
Coming back to work, sucked. A bunch of work that needed me (or in some cases didn’t need me but the sender didn’t forward it to someone else to do while I was out), but the desire to throttle people who dared smile at me was gone. TOTALLY WORTH IT!
This. There are some things that no one else can do and even just a few days the backlog takes days to catch up.
I will take some time very soon. It’s just been a pile on. Re the dog. I often take him with me with no problems but the last two weeks have been multiple inspections and TPTB visiting. And yes, I am a little too attached and worry too much about the little fellow.
I have a job that I love and pays well, but is also very demanding and stressful. I focus on work-life balance.
I try to position myself at work as a dependable, valuable employee who does not need to be laid off and I also make sure I take adequate time off. During my time off, I find and do things that I enjoy and add value and fun to my life. You cannot be a good worker if you do not have balance.
Most folks do not really love or enjoy their jobs that much- that’s why it’s called ‘work’ and not ‘fun.’ The key is balance.
What is it about the dog that worries you so much? I love my cats but they cause me no stress and I rarely think about them during the day. And aside from needing to be sure to get home for their meals and bathroom walks, none of the dogs I’ve owned have worried me either. Do you worry as much about your husband? Is he home during the day, or available to be home with less of a commute?