Struggling to cope with my slow paced job

[rionephew]

I probably need to start this with a disclaimer that I know I'm really lucky to have a job at all, and it is well paid.

But the nature of my work means it's either really full on and busy (rarely) or I'm struggling for work to do (most of the time). We have to have a daily call to explain what we've been doing and there just isn't enough work to fill my day. I've explained this multiple times. Often I then get given other people's work that they don't want to do, or I get told to enjoy the quieter pace. That doesn't help me when I have to explain what I've been doing all day though!

This has been a problem in my last three jobs. Join a company, get told they are really busy etc (and I love being busy and working in a pressured environment) but then when I get there, there is barely anything to do!

Can anyone else relate? I feel sick about having to go back to the office full time and try to make myself look busy at my desk.

I hate this feeling too, what do you do?

Wow what job is it and can i retrain!?

I'm a "chartered governance professional".

@PineappleUpsideDownCake would you really want a job where you didn't have enough to do? Where you were constantly having to find work and invent unnecessary projects and being constantly worried that they would just get rid of you because there really wasn't enough work? It's soul destroying.

I had a job like this a few years ago and had to leave. It drove me mad and I HATED the feeling. I was constantly on my phone reading a kindle book!

if you fancy a chat we can do that somewhere online I'm sure :) its really dead quiet in my work too
Charlotte

I left, I hated it! Having too little work is just as bad as having too much work and causes the same kind of stresses and anxiety.
Tbh it left me feeling worthless and like I was loosing my skills and I felt so panicky every day going into work! I was terrified the lack of work would be used against me even though it was them not giving me work!
I holster six months and had to get out, my mental health has never been as bad as those six months and the confidence knock that I had, like I wasn’t good enough, has followed me to my new job! I am hoping it returns soon!
My advice would be to get out ASAP.

*lasted six months

Have you thought about highlighting this with management maybe they don't realise quite how little there is for you to do. Rather than just leave I would suggest offering your services as a freelancer and why. That way they still get the work done and you would be saving them money. Then approach your last three employers offering similar terms and set up your own business thereby increasing your workload and ultimately pay. It sounds like an opportunity to me....

and why....that way...

We are the same at the moment - hopefully it will pick up again soon but it is soul destroying - yet you say that to people and they automatically think you are living the life of Riley. 'Being paid to do nothing - brilliant!' No! You have my sympathy. I spend hours reading mumsnet...

I mean I work in governance and it seems like there's a never ending list of things to sort, but I guess I work in a fairly highly regulated area.

I like the idea of free lancing though, it might work quite well? Everyone saves money that way. Be a bit scary as a start though - I might go and talk to my old employers first.

Is it quiet because of the pandemic or always like this?

Go for it Nacreous......fortune favours the bravery...

The brave.....sodding autocorrect.😉

It's not always like this but there are peaks and troughs. The peaks are infrequent and most of the time I'm very quiet.

Unfortunately my last three employers have all now either been taken over by other companies or privatised (my work is to do with PLC governance) so approaching them as a freelancer is a non-starter. I like the idea though!

It's a known thing OP - it's called "rust out" and can be just as harmful as burn out.

Sorry if I am being dim...why does it matter take overs/privatised?

Hi Op, I can definitely relate.

Many years ago I joined a team on a large Government-run site. From day one it was all - ' where can we hide today to read a book etc? (twas pre-internet easy access days). There were several points where you could sit and see who was coming without being seen yourself. I was shown them all in the first couple of days. The site had to have us there but weren't really bothered if we worked or not, Government was paying (they seemed to forget we paid initially).
If the others had had their way they would have stayed in their little 'workshop' all the time sittinga round chatting and drinking tea, doing little repairs etc. but they couldn't be seen. They still made sure they took their breaks on show.

I lasted three months. I only lasted that long because I was promised they would enrol me on the next stage of my qualifications so I didn't have to pay for them myself. (I was a lot younger and money was a lot tighter then) they day they said the course wouldn't start until the following year was the day I handed my notice in. It's mentally hard trying to find things to fill a whole day with. It was soul-destroying

Also relate to some extent. My role has periods where there is, quite genuinely, nothing to do. Trying to come up with endless time fillers for both me and the person I manage is soul destroying. I also find I then tend to try and make the bits I do have last so long that I end up having to rush them last minute still. It’s not a healthy cycle.

However it sounds like we have more peaks (and currently in probably the biggest and longest peak we had, and want to tear my hair out!).

My precious role had even worse troughs, but I also worked alone in a physically isolated position. That had a real impact on my mental health and self-worth. At least now I’m with others in the same position.