how to cut back working extra?

jemb

People do this at my work and I just dont get it. I work the hours I'm paid to work. I'm good at my job and I'm one of the best at it too in the company. I take my lunch, although some people look at you gone out for doing so. Just ease yourself in. Next few weeks start quarter of an hour later, go out on your lunch and ask friends/ collegues if they want anything while your out. Your entitled, you're only working what you're paid to then?

fluffnutter

If something's not important enough to find cover when you're away, it's not important enough to bother with. Either it's a task that needs doing in a particular time-frame else it's not. If the latter, what's the point in doing it at all?

Happy to revise my thoughts if the OP wants to elaborate on her job but at the moment I can't work out why it would take 16 days to catch up after a week or so off. That's not a very effective use of anyone's time.

74jax

:rotfl:i'm typing this from the kitchen having taken my lunch break - yey!

ostrichnomore wrote: »

You've spoken to them about your workload and they've said that they think it is manageable by you in your hours.

My manager knows it's not possible to do the workload int he hours (8.30-4.30) but that I can't have any help. he is more than happy for things not to get done - it's me who doesn't like leaving things. I'm a perfectionist and would rather something is right than half done.

fluffnutter wrote: »

If something's not important enough to find cover when you're away, it's not important enough to bother with. Either it's a task that needs doing in a particular time-frame else it's not. If the latter, what's the point in doing it at all?

Happy to revise my thoughts if the OP wants to elaborate on her job but at the moment I can't work out why it would take 16 days to catch up after a week or so off. That's not a very effective use of anyone's time.

It takes 16 days to catch up 8 days as I still have my job to do if that makes sense, if I didn't then it would obviously just take however long off I was to catch up. So if I took a Monday off then I know on Tuesday I'm doing Tuesday's work and Monday's work and the same on Wednesday, Wednesday's work and Monday's work. So by close of play Wednesday I'm up to date. i don't think that makes sense.

fluffnutter

It does make sense, but if your tasks are so important that you have to steal from the current day's tasks to catch up why doesn't your company reallocate work when someone's on leave? What do you do?

rach_k

Does being a perfectionist about your work improve your life in any way other than satisfaction for you? Better promotion prospects, more pay etc? If not and your manager accepts that things will have to go undone if you only work your contracted hours, I'd suggest you reassess how you measure your achievements. At the moment, it sounds like you're saying it's a job well done if you complete all the work they can throw at you. Instead, if you consider it a job well done if you've worked solidly and efficiently for your contracted hours and prioritised so the most important things are done, that sounds more balanced to me. It sounds like your manager would be happy with that, so you can be too

fluffnutter

The whole point to leave is that you have a break. If you return to twice the workload then that will inevitably spoil your break somewhat.

nearlyrich

I am a perfectionist too and I procrastinate things I can't do perfectly and so I create my own stress coming up to deadlines, part of dealing with this is recognising your weaknesses for want of a better word.


Work out what you need to do to deliver what your employer wants from you and ease off on the extra twiddly bits that make you feel you have done a perfect job...easier said than done.

74jax

It doesn't spoil my break away at all. Its just the way the company runs, I'm not the only one who doesn't have holiday cover, just seems how it is - I did find it odd to start with.

I love the job though, there isn't really anywhere to progress too but I don't really want to progress anywhere.

Its more myself taking a step back and allowing things to be left. Before Christmas all I seemed to do was take work home etc and have so long off over Christmas allowed me to enjoy my time at home again.

Hopefully by taking a lunch a each day this, then starting a little later next week will help.

maman

74jax wrote: »

It doesn't spoil my break away at all. Its just the way the company runs, I'm not the only one who doesn't have holiday cover, just seems how it is - I did find it odd to start with.

I love the job though, there isn't really anywhere to progress too but I don't really want to progress anywhere.

Its more myself taking a step back and allowing things to be left. Before Christmas all I seemed to do was take work home etc and have so long off over Christmas allowed me to enjoy my time at home again.

Hopefully by taking a lunch a each day this, then starting a little later next week will help.

rach_k wrote: »

Does being a perfectionist about your work improve your life in any way other than satisfaction for you? Better promotion prospects, more pay etc? If not and your manager accepts that things will have to go undone if you only work your contracted hours, I'd suggest you reassess how you measure your achievements. At the moment, it sounds like you're saying it's a job well done if you complete all the work they can throw at you. Instead, if you consider it a job well done if you've worked solidly and efficiently for your contracted hours and prioritised so the most important things are done, that sounds more balanced to me. It sounds like your manager would be happy with that, so you can be too

It sounds like you are the problem OP rather than the job, your boss or the company.

I'd be the first to jump up and down if I felt you were being exploited but it sounds like you're doing it to yourself.

What I'd suggest is that you talk it through with your manager. Explain that there's far too much to do and you need some help prioritising what the company would prefer done first and what can go to the bottom of the list/fall off the end. Show initiative and suggest what you think is priority and why and see if they agree. Perhaps suggest a trial period where you stick rigidly to your hours (including lunchbreaks) and then review. Be prepared to be accountable for what you have achieved during the trial. Don't work from home on the laptop unless it's INSTEAD of working in the office.

Then all you have to do is stop yourself!! You sound like your own worst enemy.:)

ifstar

It's your companies choice not to have other people able to do the work for you when you are off, so it really isn't something you should trouble yourself with. If they don't mind stuff building up then why should you go crazy and do lot's of extra hours? By doing so, you are just allowing them to continue taking advantage of you. It sounds like your boss isn't too bothered about when stuff gets done as you said he allows you to push stuff back.


You have a few options -
1) keep doing as you have been and working lot's of hours free
2) cut back and just do closer to what you are contracted to do - if stuff has to wait then it has to wait and if you go off on holiday they are aware there will be a big backlog
3) work the extra hours if they give you a wage increase - which would be cheaper than getting an assistant in to help