Unwinding from work
Today is Saturday and I have another short weekend when the majority of my coworkers are excited about a three day weekend. I’m dreading my Sunday work day since I will be in a room with our Board of Trustees. I’m lucky that we hired a replacement Director and I’m not the one presenting the budget information. I’m just the back-up since I am a lot more familiar with how the numbers are put together.
The last month has been busy month for me at work. A big portion of my job revolves around the budget for the entire office. We use a bottom-up method and interview department heads and then compile information. All the numbers and line items have to roll up into three separate company budgets and then finally into a full budget.
I’ve been working a lot of long hours. But the light was at the end of the tunnel: we are heading into board week and the approval of the budgets. But then it was decided I have to go to the board meetings and assist in the presentations. Nerve wracking! These men made decisions within the last year to eliminate 80 positions in my company. We went from 210 employees to 108 in 2011. They are still looking into things that may result in the lay off of more positions, or the entire offices.
At least, I thought, my work load was going to be reduced to a normal size this week and going forward. UNTIL a manager in my small department was laid off on Thursday afternoon. No one really saw it coming. She wasn’t given any time to transition her work load to others in the department.
Friday was an emotionally draining day. We had people asking us a lot of questions and we didn’t have any answers to them. To top it off, the manager was working on some projects that I had to jump into the middle of without knowing what had been done or what was left to do. I feel like the next few weeks are going to be the same. Finding projects that are halfway complete and trying to start over on them.
I think my cushy job I’m used to just disappeared. It’s definitely going to take some getting used to, and I’m definitely going to have to start looking for better time management. Here come the lists of projects and the prioritization. This may be the kick in the pants I need to start looking for a new job. I think our family has proven over the last few weeks that Mom can work more hours and things will still get accomplished (a huge hats off to Daddy in that aspect!) In the winter when Hubby’s work is slow this shouldn’t be too much of a problem, but as it gets toward summer during his busy time we may have issues.
If you don’t see or hear from me much, that’s what I’m doing. Working longer hours, and trying to spend time with my family.
Have their been any major shifts in your work life? Or your families balance?
