Countdown from £28k...

ryanm8655

dawnybabes said:

Have you washed the sheet ?  Sometimes they put stuff in the packaging. 

I didn't ha. Will give it a try but have no other sheet that fits so putting a spare duvet cover over the top tonight ha. Shops being closed is a nightmare...

Just looking at switching energy but they all seem to be much of a muchness, the deal it's recommending is lower standing charge but then a higher unit cost (marginally) based on estimated usage. I honestly have no idea what my energy consumption is going to be. Depends on how long we're working from home for etc. Think I'll give it a month and see what my usage has been before switching as may work out more expensive...Best is coming out as EON, which surprises me...

alt80

Sounds like you’re sorted with the flat spends for the foreseeable then mate?

Bedclothes imo not something to scrimp on nothing nicer than fresh bedding. FML sound like I’ve turned into some 70 year old grandma haha.

Sounds like you had a great weekend. I’m quite lucky to not suffer the munchies tbh haha can’t help with that one and 100 have bad sleep habits but I think trying to get into a routine for it not binge watching series and having that self control to switch the lights off. Feel free to tell me to !!!!!! right off, the hypocrisy is making me cringe myself ha. I’ve been doing the chill app not amazingly successful but feels like a decent habit to get into, might work for you idk.

Work: 100 I think it can get destructive. Tbf you seem to have a life outside of it and a good support network of mates. I don’t actually think putting the hours in alone will cause burnout but allow other stuff to spiral and not managing the workload/ delegation of work can definitely become overwhelming in my experience anyway. You working like a !!!!!! because the team lacks resources isn’t good - I’ve been there with that but could do something about it what concerns me for you is you can’t do anything about it by the sounds of it - not having that control over things definitely can cause burnout especially if you need to work unsustainable hours to meet deadlines as a result of decisions being made out of your control. Not sure what to advise on that - perhaps approach the senior colleague? You say ‘they should know’ but have you told and demonstrated why and how the current allocation of staff is unsustainable? Just a few thoughts.

Re your mate in banking, I’m sat here thinking FML not much older than me what the !!!!!! is he going to do with no work haha. Horses for courses lol.

efes_shareholder

I was always told that two things you should never scrimp on are the shoes on your feet and the bed that you sleep in as if you arent in one you are in the other.
Although prob not shoes so much during lockdown 

ryanm8655

alt80 said:

Sounds like you’re sorted with the flat spends for the foreseeable then mate?

Bedclothes imo not something to scrimp on nothing nicer than fresh bedding. FML sound like I’ve turned into some 70 year old grandma haha.

Sounds like you had a great weekend. I’m quite lucky to not suffer the munchies tbh haha can’t help with that one and 100 have bad sleep habits but I think trying to get into a routine for it not binge watching series and having that self control to switch the lights off. Feel free to tell me to !!!!!! right off, the hypocrisy is making me cringe myself ha. I’ve been doing the chill app not amazingly successful but feels like a decent habit to get into, might work for you idk.

Work: 100 I think it can get destructive. Tbf you seem to have a life outside of it and a good support network of mates. I don’t actually think putting the hours in alone will cause burnout but allow other stuff to spiral and not managing the workload/ delegation of work can definitely become overwhelming in my experience anyway. You working like a !!!!!! because the team lacks resources isn’t good - I’ve been there with that but could do something about it what concerns me for you is you can’t do anything about it by the sounds of it - not having that control over things definitely can cause burnout especially if you need to work unsustainable hours to meet deadlines as a result of decisions being made out of your control. Not sure what to advise on that - perhaps approach the senior colleague? You say ‘they should know’ but have you told and demonstrated why and how the current allocation of staff is unsustainable? Just a few thoughts.

Re your mate in banking, I’m sat here thinking FML not much older than me what the !!!!!! is he going to do with no work haha. Horses for courses lol.

Hopefully, yes ha. Will no doubt notice something else but shouldn't be anything big from now on. Completely get you on the bedding ha. Even if it does make me feel old too ha.

Yeah, it was good in the circumstances ha. Haha, not at all re: hypocrisy. Going to go straight for a podcast tonight.

Yeah, there is a complete lack of control over things and a complete lack of flexibility in Civil Service. Essentially staff turnover has been lower because of COVID so we've got too many staff but in the wrong places...hence no budget to recruit. My boss has had all sorts of promises made re: resource only for them to not be fulfilled. Another thing I dislike about the public sector...

No life outside it at the moment ha. Do have a good network of mates but most of what we do is drinking/eating out usually. Plan to do more home entertaining though and get back into the running/tennis.

Haha, yeah I was surprised when he told me how old he was as he looks younger and has a much younger outlook ha, (not a proper mate more a friend of a friend) but he's got a nice flat, Bentley, plenty of money to enjoy life so why not retire I guess! Don't think he had been enjoying the work as much in the last 5 years or so. No family though, so guess that is the gap in his life. Think he has a few side hustles too, know he has his own tequila brand: https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicoletrilivas/2019/10/31/satryna-ultra-premium-tequila/?sh=5420a3b14a4b

ryanm8655

efes_shareholder said:

I was always told that two things you should never scrimp on are the shoes on your feet and the bed that you sleep in as if you arent in one you are in the other.
Although prob not shoes so much during lockdown 

Haha! That's a very good point...

alt80

Doesn’t sound like it’s being ran well at all mate. No resources for new staff- potential to retrain one of these staff in the ‘wrong places’ - presumably they have a smaller workload and could afford to poach one into your dept and absorb the workload? 

Ha think I need to get back into the running. Feel !!!!!! all the time so can’t face it right now.

Funny how people work - I know a few who work through to 45/50 and just given up bought some farm or something FML fair play if that’s what you want from life though not for me lol. Have seen that on whisky exchange but tequila 100 not my drink mate FML only memories of it are getting absolutely slaughtered on the stuff years ago. No doubt it’s better than what I’ve had but don’t think I’ll be trying it lol.

Sarahwithlove

There are certainly a lot of pros and cons to working for the government I have found. And it does certainly feel like with all the cuts over last 10 years that there's more negatives. I'm seriously considering my options and looking at retraining in future myself as not sure can keep going without things improving. 

ryanm8655

alt80 said:

Doesn’t sound like it’s being ran well at all mate. No resources for new staff- potential to retrain one of these staff in the ‘wrong places’ - presumably they have a smaller workload and could afford to poach one into your dept and absorb the workload? 

Ha think I need to get back into the running. Feel !!!!!! all the time so can’t face it right now.

Funny how people work - I know a few who work through to 45/50 and just given up bought some farm or something FML fair play if that’s what you want from life though not for me lol. Have seen that on whisky exchange but tequila 100 not my drink mate FML only memories of it are getting absolutely slaughtered on the stuff years ago. No doubt it’s better than what I’ve had but don’t think I’ll be trying it lol.

The trouble is that it’s all very political and other teams won’t give up their staff as they know they’ll end up in the same boat. There has just been a restructure with more people moving into a flexible pool but not helpful when the policy facing team doesn’t have the resource. But also I don’t think anyone in their right mind would move into this job Mates in other teams have to put the odd shift in but it’s rare, mostly work the hours they’re supposed to.

I know what you mean, I’ve got another 30 plus years before I can think about retirement and unless I was loaded with no mortgage I’m not really sure what I’d do. I’d travel, most likely but that would be money dependent.

Haha. Yeah I’m not a tequila fan either. Only spirits I like are whiskey and gin but trying to avoid them in lockdown.

Sarahwithlove said:

There are certainly a lot of pros and cons to working for the government I have found. And it does certainly feel like with all the cuts over last 10 years that there's more negatives. I'm seriously considering my options and looking at retraining in future myself as not sure can keep going without things improving. 

Yeah, have to agree. Especially when the hours/stress aren’t reflective of the salary, plus retirement age keeps going up, I didn’t even know they could do that. I’m even considering going into financial services. That way I can get paid while retraining even if my income will decline massively. Tough now though as would struggle to afford this place. But could do real estate finance for one of the big 4, or even corporate tax, which would be a bit of legal and numbers combined. For now though I’ll stick with it and see if I can get this masters. Though can’t see them wanting to lose 20% of my time.

enthusiasticsaver

My eldest daughter works for civil service (or arms length government body) and they have issue with staff and constant restructuring. The management just seems really bad and she puts in really long hours. I can see why people retire at 45/50 if they are not enjoying work. It gives them the flexibility and freedom to do something they do enjoy if the finances stack up. We retired at 58 but would have been earlier had we not had children. We don't have any problem finding things to do even in this lockdown situation. 

alt80

The management of it sounds like a !!!!!! nightmare mate. Nice to see where my tax is going. 🙄 honestly mate not even sure what you can do. 100 don’t think waiting around until you’re half dead is the right answer though unless you sort of switch off a bit and coast get the enjoyment from things other than work. As an employer can’t say I’d want staff doing that but it doesn’t seem like they care however don’t think that’s good for you either.

Ha get yourself into property finance and you can hit me up with the chucky lol.