To quit my job with nothing to go to and risking a sanction on my UC

[TheMentalLoad]

I literally hate it. My anxiety is through the roof, I don’t sleep for a few nights before I have to work and for days afterwards I go over what I’ve done and think about all the things I did wrong.

I’m on 0 hours and cut my hours right down to only 4 a week but I’m still not coping and work keep asking me to do more and more and I just can't. I know it’s the job that’s the issue not working in general as my last job before this was in a completely different field and I loved it, but the job disappeared overnight due to covid and I had to take what I could to keep a roof over my DDs head.

But I’m at the point where no amount of money is worth the effect on my health. I had a few months off before Christmas and into January (got signed off) and overnight my anxiety levels decreased, my IBS cleared up and I was eating better and much more myself according to friends.

Then I had to go back (my MH nurse wanted me to try it to see if the break helped but have 1 shift a week) and my symptoms returned within hours.

I’ve battled on for over 4 weeks now but I can’t do it anymore. I’m a single parent to 1 DC but my DC has stopped sleeping the night before a shift, I suspect they’re picking up on my anxiety, so I’m going into a shift sleep deprived and I’ve had enough. DC also has some health conditions so I'm juggling that as well.

I’m likely to be sanctioned by Universal Credit for quiting, but I am actually at the point where I don’t care, it’s not worth my mental health.

I am desperately looking for other work but I think I’d be in a better place to get a job if I didn’t have my current one hanging over me.

I know I am very UR, but I just can’t take it anymore.

I echo lunchtime supervisors at a primary school. They are always looking for staff as supervisors who want school friendly hours only stay a few years until their children are at secondary school and then move to full time work.
There will be a local primary school near you that is recruiting right now.

I also get told off a lot as I'm not reaching targets.

If the company are asking you to do more hours then they must value your work. Could your targets be adjusted downwards and the "telling off" stopped as a "reasonable adjustment" to your mental health condition? It just be very demotivating, and it's pointless for them to set unrealistic targets when you are already doing your best.

Can you discuss this with your MH nurse? There should be some process for making this change.

@girlmom... customers? They can be just as savage in person as they can be over the phone!

I remember talking to a friend who worked in a PRU (pupil referral unit) for students that had been permanently excluded from secondary schools. It was so tough. She got used to being called really horrible names numerous times a day. She eventually resigned after a number of years when she was pushed over and sworn at.
There are a lot of very tough jobs out there

@NoSquirrels

Anyone to help with school runs or childcare once or twice a week?

Any breakfast or after-school clubs for your DC?

Looking for a school-hours job is severely limiting you.

Don’t get sanctioned if you can avoid it. It won’t improve things.

Can you get signed off again in the interim?

@NoSquirrels I have childcare in place if I need it.

@CannaBelieve

Op says she works from home

Not sure how she would hope working in sainsburys/boots/hospitality if she is struggling with 4 hours WFH

@CannaBelieve I had a job outside of the home pre-march 2020 which I loved and managed perfectly fine.

@Grenlei I was working more than 4 hours a week before being signed off, I did about 25 hours. I have applied for other things while I've been off but I've not been sucessful so thats why I went back.

What do you want to do? What would be your ideal job?

Having done call centre work, I can 100% sympathise.

But you need to be realistic. Can you manage without any income? For how long?

I would really push for a new job, any job. Get in with every agency physically possible.

@TabithaTittlemouse

What do you want to do? What would be your ideal job?

@TabithaTittlemouse The charity work I did was around help people with a certain disability to get into meaningful employment, education or training, we worked closely with the Job Centre. I absolutely loved it, I could tailor what I did to my clients rather than following a script or set or steps and I really made a difference.

So something like that.

The charity folded in March-2020 due to covid and losing the funding completely overnight, but similar would be brilliant.

That’s brilliant, then, if you have childcare!

Apply to any new job - hospitality, whatever’s being advertised. Do that temporarily while you get back on your feet mentally and look for something more permanent.

No UC sanctions and no more call centre job. Win-win.

Leave it - you'll soon find something better. No job is worth feeling this way.

@TheMentalLoad that sounds great. Have you looked to see if there is anything else in your area? Have you got any contacts from your time there?

[quote CannaBelieve]@girlmom... customers? They can be just as savage in person as they can be over the phone!

[/quote]
Ha I've worked in customer service in a variety of settings and people feel like being on the phone is the same as being anonymous. Most people won't talk to you face to face as they would on the phone, and in most jobs customers won't swear at and insult you on a regular basis.

@girlmom21 the OP only works 4 hours a week and her child is in junior school. She doesn't need to take annual leave or call in sick to find the time to job hunt, she has loads of time

[quote user1471457751]@girlmom21 the OP only works 4 hours a week and her child is in junior school. She doesn't need to take annual leave or call in sick to find the time to job hunt, she has loads of time[/quote]
She needs time away from the job for her mental health and well-being. That's clear.

[quote Nothappyatwork]@britneyisfree - contact Go Centric, they have from home roles. Op do the same - line something else up then quit[/quote]
Thank you! @Nothappyatwork