Five Year Fix, Five Year Plan

Merlin's_Beard

@savingholmes - it's not so much that I read 37 of those 42 books (I didn't), it's that I added 42 books to the pile of 200 unread ones and only took 37 off.... the aim is at some point to read all the books I buy and consistently buying them faster than I can read them is the way for the unread pile to get bigger every single year! (Eventually I will retire and catch up? I guess? But that could be anything up to 33 years away? [Although god I hope it's sooner, which is why I cope with 25 different people in conversation a day that I need to be 100% engaged in])

rtandon27

MB - I too find my job far to peopley, my favorite part of the working day is when I have my headphones or earplugs in and I'm in deep focus on something that doesn't engage in conversation or require human interaction! Heaven forbid anyone pounces as I walk in the door & have not yet had a coffee!

FlacosFloozie

I totally get being peopled out. Full consulting days are so draining! Do think about your rota- there is nothing wrong with wanting your day off fixed, whether you have kids or not. If there is something you want to comit to let your boss know e.g. I dont put x on a late Tuesday because she has running club, Y has Wednesday off to go visit her Dad, etc. It's an important part of staff wellbeing and retention. Its good to be flexible whereyou can but don't be afraid to set boundaries so you don't get taken advantage of.

killerpeaty

I think having at least one day off fixed per week should be minimum. It gives you the ability to know how to schedule your time (whether or not you want to people). I know for a lot of jobs this isn't possible, at least at the moment it isn't. I'm sorry you're drained, hopefully you will feel better soon!

savingholmes

I agree with the others - I'd want a set day off - and absolutely wouldn't agree to giving up all seasonal holidays to suit those with young kids.

Merlin's_Beard

Thanks guys. My day off should be fixed - it's just that it may get swapped around when X comes back (depending on when and what hours she wants to do), but then change when Y leaves for their maternity (which may be before OR after that), and then Y will, at some point, also come back so it will depend on what days they want to do, (but Z is also at the point where we're expecting a pregnancy announcement any time soon, so that's another variable). Add to that there's another variable that means that the amount of people needed might shift between two days and nearly everybody else is hard fixed by childcare availability. Up until now it's stayed pretty fixed, it's just some very random variables going on.

Firstly, I am NOT drinking the water in that place. That's just the people in my job role that are pregnant. There are others too.

But secondly, I do get why that makes it difficult for my boss to give any kind of definitive answer. The perils of a female dominated workforce in a still sexist parenting atmosphere! I don't really know how to navigate all of that with hard boundaries if I'm honest.

As for the seasonal holidays - at least I get every bank holiday in this job! Even shared out fairly, I'd be looking at one set of seasonal holidays every half decade or so. I just picked the wrong job, there.

South_coast

Yep, definitely stay away from the water 🤣!

savingholmes

That water is proper scary. Doesn't quite beat the time when in a call centre a guy got his wife and mistress pregnant at the same time - and they all worked in the same place on the same floor!

rtandon27

Happy New Year 2024!

Hope you had a chill & restful NYE!  We only just made it past midnight & are paying the price today 🤣🤣🤣  Copious amounts of coffee are being consumed!

Merlin's_Beard

Happy New Year everyone!

I made it to about 10pm then I went to bed like a tired old soul. No regrets!