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Prioritise family or work?

8 replies

lovehope2013 · 05/02/2013 22:03

It seems obvious to me that I should prioritise family over work. But I am still completely flummoxed emotionally by what to do in this situation:

My part-time job has been really stressful lately and I've done hundreds of hours of unpaid overtime.

DH's grandmother is unwell and lives hundreds of miles away. The only weekend DH and DH's Auntie could both make to visit his grandmother is one coming up in a few weeks. I made a big deal a few weeks ago saying we should definitely go and visit her that weekend (because it puts less pressure on grandma to 'entertain' us if Auntie is there) and that he should take the Friday off work so we can go for 3 days rather than 2. I checked my diary and there was nothing in it for the Friday. So DH booked it off work.

This week, 3 crucial work meetings have appeared for that Friday. Annoyingly, all three involve lots of people including senior managers so I can't ask for them to be changed. Also, two out of the three should have been in my diary before we booked the weekend trip, but I had been so stressed I had forgotten to put them in. The other one I actually said a couple of weeks ago that I was available for because I hadn't put the weekend trip in my calendar.

It's far enough away distance-wise that DH couldn't drive up on his own and the train is too expensive, so we can't go up separately.

Feel really stupid and don't know what to do. Work or family? Friendly advice anyone?

OP posts:
mumnosbest · 05/02/2013 22:13

Family. Apologise to work and maybe enhance the truth a little. You have to go visit a sick relative last minute. Maybe she needs help getting to an appointment and you're her only family. Work is work and they'll manage without you.

lovehope2013 · 05/02/2013 23:13

Thanks, you're so right. Hard to gear myself up to tell them but I have to be strong...

OP posts:
AndBingoWasHisNameOh · 05/02/2013 23:18

Can you go sat to mon instead if he moves his day off?

Jinsei · 05/02/2013 23:20

Could you not go after work on the Friday? Leave a bit early, maybe?

lovehope2013 · 05/02/2013 23:21

Good question re Monday, we were just discussing that... could ask at work but Monday morning there are a couple of things I might not be able to get out of at work - possibly even worse than Friday. But could see what (very sympathetic) new manager thinks is best...

OP posts:
lovehope2013 · 05/02/2013 23:23

Hey jinsei, good idea to consider that, it's a really long drive though so going up Friday night and coming back Sunday would possibly be dangerous driving/tiredness-wise. Good thought though...

OP posts:
cece · 05/02/2013 23:26

Family really should come first. Unprofessional I know but maybe a well timed sickness bug??

lovehope2013 · 06/02/2013 22:20

Hi guys, thanks for your advice, have called in some favours at work and other people will hopefully cover for me on the Friday Smile

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