Constructive

[darkemeralds]

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who has offered sympathy, solidarity, and constructive suggestions as I work through my trying new job situation. You have all been material to my peace of mind.

Answering comments and sharing difficult work stories has helped me bring particulars to my own conscious notice--something that always takes me a while--and a narrative is beginning to emerge.



Analysis:
Time it takes me to do my current job - 6 hours a day
Time it takes Norm to do his job - 10 hours a day
Total current time to do both jobs: 16 hours a day

Theories:

1. Management expects me to work 16 hours a day
2. Management believes Norm is even more inefficient than I think he is, and values his job at 2-3 hours a day
3. Management is willing to push deadlines on both jobs way, way out
4. Management expects to cancel some projects altogether
5. Management is guilty of that magical management thinking where all workers can always absorb more work, infinitely

Action Items:

1. Laugh at number 1, above. Not even theoretically possible. Not even if I were 25 years old. Stop thinking about that one.
2. Start streamlining. Present a list of bullshit-elimination action items to the boss.
3. Assess current projects and propose revised deadlines to the boss. Stand ground.
4. Figure out how much time sabotage would require to torpedo certain projects.
5. IDEK about the fifth thing--hope it's not true?

I've started on Action Items 1 and 2. Because what I needed was the project of fitting two jobs into one, in addition to all the projects actually required in both portfolios.

This work thing, I tell ya: it's hard work sometimes.