Deflating the Bouncy Castle

[bettiesrevenge]

Spectacular!

Now, I hate being a nag - well no I dont actually

Stress in the extreme is THE worst thing that the human body and mind can endure. Stress is a necessary part of life, it's what spurs us to action and a healthy dose of preasure is good BUT the worst from of it BURNOUT - is very very, bad. Getting physically ill because of feeling like you have to "put up and shut up" is no workplace culture that is conducive to you being able to take mat leave that will be restful, and that you will return from when the time comes. I know you mentioned your head is a meglomaniac with narcasistic tendencies, but you have a right to effective stress management AND not to fear taking this on and jeapordising your career or T&C's.

I know you are in the union and your taking on the rep's mantle, so while you are awaiting the counting of eggs and chickens, I would tackle this situation. AT least you A) wont get too sick by avoiding acknowledging how ill this is actually making you or B) You are making things better for if you do go on MAT leave and need to return, since with a baby in tow this usually gets much harder to manage.

What's your HR department like? (Dont ignore me this time , out of genuine concern, this needs dealing with, you cant get tummy problems each week before work for the rest of your days)

 

[spangles]

Yes mum.





It's particularly bad at the moment because ofsted are overdue, and I have my pay review meeting on Monday. Once those two things are done (for better or worse) I shall feel freer to make some fuss. I'm not alone in feeling this way (tho I probably internalize more than most), and we are talking about a work to rule on workload and cultural grounds.


Put up or shut up was possibly the wrong phrase. My instinct has been for a while, that I should change careers. But financially, I make our household happen. I earn twice as much as my husband. It isn't going to happen. So you're right - I need to make what I'm stuck with, better.

 

[bettiesrevenge]

I feel ya sister!

Me too, I am the main breadwinner, I work for an organisation that used to have a good moral and ethical centre, now they are ruthless. Everyone is super scared that redundancies are coming, we are all working more, effectively for less because we dont get paid over time and the cuture is such that if you have a laptop, you will be expected to work through the night to meet mental deadlines.

When I am able and in recovery from my sugar addiction, I am going to ditch this crazy world of extreme performance demands and go open up a couture cake shop - yes indeed, perhaps you can have your florist down the road

 

[bluegirl]

Oh and please can I have a shop that sells all things crafty and stitchy? Please, please, please! X

 

[spangles]

Heh. Everyone I talk to in a similar situation had a similar fantasy. Bookshop/coffeeshop/cheeseshop.

Not exactly recession-proof.

My masterplan is that having done floristry classes weekly from January til summer, plus Saturday courses, I can start doing wedding flowers - especially, but not exclusively, with a kinda rockabilly twist. Then if that becomes financially viable I can look at going part time at work. Maybe just four days or something.

All hugely optimistic, but has the ring of viability about it. Got to have a dream, right?

 

[bluegirl]

Always dreaming, makes reality bare able some days! X

 

[egbert]

I was looking at a bookshop / coffeehouse with wifi or laptop plug in, maybe some PCs for internet use too. I would love to do something like that but have no idea how to run a cafe!

If I only did coffee and cake I could manage. ALthough, this is not the best town for that, all the shops where I live are shutting.

 

[Clear As yoghurt]

Oooooh I just saw your weigh in this week! Fantastic!! Well done Spangles xx

 

[Rolly82]

Jesus, Mary and Joseph Spangles just seen your most recent WI, well done you. You know what I love the most about your page the fact that your weight to lose is faaaaaar less than your weight lost on your counter tracker thing....go girl x

 

[bettiesrevenge]

I think its's good to dream a little dream.

On the subject of coffee shops - do you ever pass a starbucks, costa, nero or a pret that has acres of space and empty chairs? The answer I am guessing is not. These kinds of places get their supplies at next to nothing, infact it costs about 28p to make a latte at starbucks - now work out the proffit on that?! The key is all about the ecomony of scale.

I think home spun businesses are where it is at, if you read tim ferris's 4 hour work week * he is american therefore some of what he says is indigestible and queesy* but he does make a good point that instead of working your arse off for a few quid, you could put a couple of hours in for virtually the same revenue. Web based businesses are still where it's at. I bet minimins makes a LOT from it's advertising with the hit rate around here.

If you were to do rockabilly floristry for occasions, then you could get into wedding planning proper, provide cutsey little favours, invitations, outsource cake making and create a nice little webisite with a forum and an online shop (which increases your hit rate) and you make money even when you are not selling your services.... see I got it all planned (I'll set it up for 5% )

 

[bettiesrevenge]

By the way I just imagined some sailor jerry themed table decorations....see, you got me interested now!

 

[shrinkin'violet]

Where are you Mrs? Hope you're ok x

 

[spangles]

i'm ok. work has been horrifically deadliney, so two 3.30am getting-up-to-work-before-work mornings in a row.

then today the head rejected my line manager's grading on my annual performance management, on the grounds of something that hadn't been mentioned at any point in the perf mgt process. If i hadn't got the original grading i wouldn't have been able to apply for a pay review for another two years.

Uncharacteristically, I kicked off a little bit (i'm usually so close to crying that i can't speak)... and it worked. original grading reinstated.

i'd already spoken to my union colleague by then though - it's all grist to the mill. Big joint union meeting about the bullying management culture and workload in a week and a half's time.

 

[shrinkin'violet]

Ruddy nora!! No wonder you look forward to the weekend xxxxxx

 

[bettiesrevenge]

Well done missus!

See, small steps, but finding your voice and standing up against this sort of thing will make you feel oodles better.

I just found out that my organisation is some 3 million adrift on the planned contribution to the organisational overheads and we need to re-coup it my march. We are all being told that we have to feeze spending, not take on any extra staff to cover sickness and absence (even over christmas) and I manage a 24 hour staffed bail hostel. So, when the crap hits the fan and it's on the front of the daily mail, who's ass will be kicked to the dole queue??? Mine of course, doesnt matter that I am managing my budget as best I can, doesnt matter that I contribut £250k to the pot a year, oh no, they want more. GREEDy Bastarts.

 

[spangles]

ugh. i tell you floristry's getting more attractive an idea by the day.

 

[bluegirl]

Looks like the pressure is on all round. I work in the NHS and it's grim here too. I always thought that at least we had a decent pension to balance the crap pay and long hours. Looks like that's going too now!

So pleased you stood up for your grading. Perfect end to the week xx

 

[spangles]

Today I have done NO work, and have had a lovely time putting up our tree.

edit - there are flocked balls in 16 different colours and two sizes, then large silver mirror balls and smaller coloured mirror balls (9 colours), and small coloured glitter balls (2 each of 5 colours)

 

[egbert]

Lovely tree. I will have to get ours up, but not till I can see the floors around here!

 

[Kira]

Spangles well done on standing your ground on your salary review! I've never challegened my reviews and as a result I've got a smaller bonus over the years. I'm a lawyer and in the legal profession any bonus is based on how much money one generates and bings into the law firm. I regretted never challenging my reviews, I found it draining that for a living I thrived on dealing with confrontation and negotiation on behalf of others yet when it came to me I was too drained to defend myself!

Maybe I'm doing a similar thing with Diet/ binding issues? Going to re-read your diary all over again you write so well, don't stop! I promise i'm not a stalker yours is one he diaries that does help me to keep hoping I cn do this again.