Feel guilty - could have earned some dosh tonight

Squirrel29

Hi Adrasteia01, I work for the government - division of Ministry of Justice. Tight as ducks a**e! We can only claim extra hours back on flexi but it is a vicious circle as if you take a flexi day, you need to work extra hours the next week to catch up on workload again!

Karmacat

You were absolutely right to put your health first. Its one thing to stretch yourself - even to stretch yourself a lot - but you'd already done that this week.

There's a longer term issue too, which sounds like its about your holiday/flexi not being covered. Surely thats a union issue? Its staggering to me in this day and age that unions are still so badly needed - and because of the government too! - but obviously they are. I understand that with such a heavy workload, and trying to pay off the debts, you can't possibly take that on yourself, but thats the truth, that the unions need to stand up for their members.

always_amazed

Look at it this way; if you push yourself overboard with the amount of hours you work, and get run down, then you could quite easily end up having to take several weeks off sick. You'll be more susceptible to colds/flu etc if you aren't in tip top shape, let alone stress related illnesses!

So think not of the money lost on not taking the shift, but the money potentially gained on not having to be on sick pay for a length of time!

Sometimes it feels as if keeping your health is completly incompatible with paying off debts. But it doesn't have to be; as long as you bear in mind that you need to keep your health to be able to work and pay them off -even if it takes that little bit longer- that should make any guilt you are feeling a bit easier to bear (I know its working for me!)

lots of hugs and you take care of yourself!
xxx

beanielou

You made the right decision about it & dont beat yourself up about it.
Take care.

bathgatebuyer

Hey, instead of being so down on yourself for losing out on the money, congratulate yourself on making YOU and YOUR HEALTH a priority. Having debts is an easy treadmill to keep on and not come off at all - if you were ill, then things could be much, much worse. All you've done is make things a little easier for yourself after working some lengthy hours the rest of the time. Don't criticise yourself for that at all.

Forget about that £100, and enjoy being fit and healthy and on a day off today.

bored_of_debt

Squirrel29 wrote: »

My employer phoned me up at 6pm tonight asking if I would cover a waking night shift (starting at 10 and ending at 7 am. I have felt really unwell and emotional today, mainly through tiredness from working 50 hours already this week plus a couple of hours this morning. I really feel on the edge at the moment through stress at work and am on the verge of going to doctor to see if he can prescribe diazapam. I turned it down as felt I could not get through the night without breaking down.

It would have made me over £100 after tax which would have made a good dent into my debt and I feel really guilty for turning the shift down. Do you think physical and mental health occasionally should take precedence over the endless debt repayment slog? It is such a balance between feeling less stress with the debt going down and coping with one's health.

Hi, you definately done the right thing and as many others have said you are more important that any debt! Enjoy resting and relaxing the rest of the weekend and use the time to prepare for next week. And I'm sure you have plenty of friends and mse friend that are able to offer you support! Chin up

x_raphael_xx

There would be no point struggling thru one more shift if it makes you unwell and you end up with 2 weeks off sick!!