So, after close to maybe…I don’t know….six years of not going to a doctor, I had my first check-up in a long time. Good health, good blood pressure, weight is a little high. My new doctor was giving me a run around on things I could do to help build up my endurance so, when I started to do longer exercises, the pounds would come off easier. However, when I told her that I worked 3rd shift, she immediately said, “Oh, well that’s not helping you either.”
3rd shift at the job that I’m currently at is one of the most interesting positions I could have taken. I was recommended by a former coworker that knew I wasn’t satisfied with my retail job and thought this would suit me better. In a way, it did; I learned a lot about managing stress, I didn’t have to interact with people face to face, and it was a data entry position that allowed me to hone my typing skills. It taught me that people can be idiots, no matter where they live and what degree of education they have, and that at the end of the day, something is always going to be my fault. Also, management can be amazing, if you have the right people hired.
Basically, when I heard what my doctor said, I knew that the thoughts that I had of leaving my position would need to either take root or just be thoughts. It’s something I had given a bit more thought to, without actually having a gameplan for what happens afterward. Still, this revelation has given me more of a reason to search for daytime employment.
For those of you who are reading this and are wondering if a job you’re not enjoying is still a viable option, let me say this: at the end of the day, you are responsible for you. If you’re coming home from work in an anxiety induced frenzy or so lethargic that all you want to do is sleep, then the place where you’re at may not be the best for you. Know your limits and what you’re capable of doing. If a job is asking far to much of you with more consequences than rewards, then it’s not a good place. If you have management that is reactive and will only take on issues as they come in instead of setting up a system that prevents issues, then you’re not in a good place.
With this also comes your actual health. You want to live the best life that you can, so coming home from a job that leaves you completely and utterly drained without any hope of getting yourself boosted is not a good thing. Coming home anxious as hell and attempting to calm down via drinking or smoking or stress eating is not a good thing. Coming home after a particularly bad day and waking up the next morning still dreading the fact that you need to go into the office is not a good thing. I’m not saying that you need to drop that job immediately and be left hunting for a few months before finding another job; take what you have right now and reevaluate your position. Is what you’re feeling something recent or have you felt like this all the time? Is there just a huge workload you’re attempting to get through? Is there a specific person or people that’s bringing you down? The first step is to identify the problem and see if there’s something you’re able to do to remedy it. If there isn’t, see if it’s something a manager or team lead can assist with. If you’ve tried all avenues and are still not happy, then it may be time to move on.
You are worth more than the shit you get handed. Find a place where you can shine and do something that you’re able to do without feeling anxious or depressed,
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I'll play it by ear 