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[Escape Goat]

Okay, so I work retail. Long, irregular hours is a given. But I'm working close to 50 (if not more) hours a week and with big time stress (another suprise, right?). I am in the process of applying to going back to school in January but I'm not sure I can take my current job until then.

I have a roommate so rent is about 369 for each of us plus car insurance, food, gas, electric (which is split as well as the rent). Thats about as far as my expenses run. So I'm thinking taking a less stressful (non managerial) position somewhere else might help matters. As it stands now I haven't seen my friends but a handful of times over the past two months. I havent seen my parents, who live 3 hours away, since Christmas simply because my days off are random and I'm usually too exhausted (mentally) to deal with anyone.

Now i'm going to do what I feel I need to do but I wanted to get GAF's view on things.


*cue "life sucks, deal with it" responses*

*canned laughter*

 

[Papi]

Take a week off work.

 

[keeblerdrow]

I'm in the exact same boat as you are, but I was working 2nd shift in a factory. I'd be too mentally tired to deal with anyone on my randomly placed days off and I generally am not getting anything done. I just switched to 1st shift this week in hopes of finding a semi-solution to my lack of social interaction. Maybe sleeping at night will help.

I'm checking on this thread every now and then to see what other people say.

 

[Visualante]

Try and find a job you enjoy. I know it's not easy but half the time people are just too lazy to bother looking, so don't give me that "not everyone can" malarkey.

Even something as simple as finding a job outside can completely change how you feel about your life. I used to do 45 hour weeks at a call centre, but I found when I cycled to and from the job instead of getting the train I didn't feel so shitty about my days.

 

[Dynamite Shikoku]

i always make sure to work less than enough

 

[Oldschoolgamer]

I'm in the same boat as you! We both need to find better jobs, and hurry the hell up with applications. It sucks not being able to live life, because of the total randomness of a retail schedule, plus all of the stress the job involves. I've skipped many of the few chances I had with hanging out with friends, simply because I was to stressed out, and tired to do anything with anyone.

In the meantime, look for some breathing exercise to do, to lower your stress level some. They will keep you sane, and from having an anxiety attack from all of the pressure. (if you can't manage it well)

Good luck to you.

Edit: Take some time off, if you can. Reminds me, I need to hurry up and pick my week off, since I have this vacation time saved up.

 

[Spruce Moose]

My wife used to work retail about 10 years ago. She always referred to it as the "Retail Jail".

Random hours, shitty pay, no holidays when you want to take them etc.

Get out of it ASAP is the only suggestion I could make.

 

[reaver18]

I worked 35 hours last week (restaurant host) and had to go to school everyday also. yeah, it sucks beyond belief. I had a migraine all week long and felt like blowing my head off.

 

[Silverbolt]

I worked as a production assistant for a TV show earlier this summer, and your regular hours are 12 hours a day, 60 hour weeks. Just about killed me. Never gonna work in entertainment again!

 

[kittens]

I work as few hours as finacially possible. It's not that I'm lazy -- I spend a lot of my work-free hours on volunteering and activism. I just love the feeling of freedom that comes with not being forced to do something (work) for money, and thus, essentially, for the mere ability to live. There's a fundamental coerciveness to that, and it bugs me just like the larger system of exploitative capitalism bugs me.

Anyways, I work just fifteen hours a week. My monthly expenses are way less than yours ($200 rent, $50 utilities, $0 for food thanks to FNB = appx. $250 a month), so I have it easier, but I totally recommend cutting your hours as much as you're comfortable with. Take some time to enjoy life, or even just take it all a little slower.