About to crack

Phoenix_Rising

Work is driving me crazy.

As background, i lost my job last year and, although things werent as bad then as they are now, it was still really difficult to get another job. I eventually found a job but a large element of the job is in an area that i have no real interest in.

Also, a part of the job is that it involves evening work and answering a mobile helpline when it rings - including weekends and evenings. In theory i am meant to get time off in lieu of evening work but because of work load this never happens.

I have raised the issue with my employer before and their attitude was that "this is the only job i have for you", which is understandable.

I am so so busy that i cannot physically get to all my work and i am getting stressed about the backlog. I feel that i am constantly firefighting and i make mistakes, which makes me more and more angry with myself.

I know that this is having an effect on my life, i come home from work exhausted and stressed and terrified that im going to miss something or mess up something and get fired. I find it really hard to relax outside work as im constantly worried and waiting for the stupid mobile to ring.

I know that things are bad everywhere at the moment and im lucky to have a job but sometimes i just feel like im going to crack up if i something doesnt change.

I dont know where to go. I have tried working as hard as i can but i just cant seem to get on top of everything. Should i say something to my boss or is there any point?

Is there any way to increase my productivity?

Amazotheamazing

Iirc, you're primarily training is as a solicitor? Anyhow, it's amazing how little solicitors are taught about stress management, client management and file management compared the amount of nonsense that does get taught.

Your productivity will improve as you get more familiar with the area of law you work in so things that take a long time to do now will gradually take less and less time to accomplish. Other than that, it's important to prioritise what work you need to do straight away and what work you can do over the next week. The mobile phone is difficult to avoid though, is there anyway you can get even a few evenings away from it?

Phoenix_Rising

Hi,

IM not training, im qualified. It isnt that i dont understand the work tbh. It is just the volume of it. I get 20 plus emails a day, plus letters and faxes, plus 15 plus phone calls.

Every time i get an email or a call someone wants something done so im constantly jumping from one thing to another and struggling to finish anything.

I have tried working late in the evenings, going in at the weekend, bringing work home but none of it seems to matter. Plus it makes me resentful that my private life is being eaten into for work.

I have been up since 5 this morning - couldnt sleep - tried going into work early but im as backlogged as ever this evening. Maybe things will be brighter after some sleep...

Redpunto

Sounds like youre just stressed out - go see your GP before you become completely overwhelmed.

It does sound like things are getting on top of you but remember, You have a job..........in this day and age you really need to count yourself lucky to have one.

Do you have a mortgage or any other big financial commitments? Do you have savings - could you go travelling for a while - could get things in perspective for you.

CDfm

make a list and put a half an hour planning your day each day

so you should have a day plan broken into time slots

try doing all calls /return calls in the morning and coorespondence afternoon

take numbers and get back to peoplke in your phone slot

night work is a plain in the whole but just have a small note book/pocket book to log calls and try to force stuff into your day

standardise emails ast they work too