to ask if anyone else is half-arsing their job?

[Spacemannn]

I work full time with two pre-schoolers (due to my part-time working request being declined). I get paid well (although not mumsnet well) for a mid-senior job, with no line management, but the bulk of my salary goes on childcare.

Since having my second child, I just cba anymore. I used to be such a perfectionist and always go above and beyond, but I just don't care as much anymore. I work hybrid, and on my WFH days I'm trying to squeeze in as many chores/life admin as poss in between tasks.

Is anyone else like this? Does it matter? I switch between feeling guilty, and then feeling like as long as I'm getting the work done and doing an ok job, that's fine? I still get paid the same whether I put in 70% effort or 100% effort. There are no promotion opportunities on the horizon, and I don't think I'd want the extra responsibility at the moment anyway.

Any tips for working smarter not harder? I'm organised, responsive and quick, so I don't think it's a case of me not adding value to the company...

Making yourself indespensible is good advice. Also taking on jobs that give you knowledge and influence.

When I joined my first commercial business (small) there was a need to get manuals written for the product, but no one wanted to do it because it was seen as boring.

I took that on, because it would give me a chance to learn everything about the product and put my name as author in the front of the manuals. That gave me power, because a couple of years down the line I was known as the person who wrote the book on the product. You need to be seeking out these kinds of tasks for climbing the greasy pole.

I used to get a bit annoyed at another job I was in because there was one person who used to spend his entire time doing nothing but playing politics. I used to get annoyed with this, but over time came to a conclusion that larger businesses actually need people like this. Someone has to want to run the place and climb the ladder. If not who else is going to ? So in a big business you actually need some percentage of people being engaged in this sort of stuff. In a small business though it can be a lot more damaging, because there is often little staffing overhead to allow that sort of behaviour.

The 1980s called, they want their corporate jargon back...🙄

Alright Gordon gekko ! Assume this is tongue in cheek?

Definitely. I was able to be quite productive after my first. But working with my second is really testing. I'm getting it all done. Im doing a good job but not the level needed to really progress or do what I'd like to. Some days I just feel burnt out and get literally nothing done. Im lucky as I find my job pretty easy and I can get stuff done fast when I need to. But I don't think im mentally able to progress or focus on mt career what so ever. I vary from acceptance of this to getting annoyed- I miss using my mind.

Hoping once they are older I'll have more time. My husband isn't affected in the same way. He does his share, but I think he doesn't carry the mental load I do. The play dates, the dinner, holidays etc. I'm always thinking about 100 things.

@bonzaitree My Stepdad is a retired high court judge. Believe me they absolutely do NOT work at 100% all the time. He used to throw his toys out of the pram big time if he didn't get at least an hour's lunchbreak every single day. Even he admits it wasn't anywhere near as tough a job as people think.

I am so much more focused and efficient since having kids because I know staying late is not an option. My output us so much more because I focus on high value activities, efficient strategies and demand things on my timeframe. I’m a project manager working a 4 day week, I don’t have time for things to drift off track and to need mopping up on a Friday.
My younger self would turn up hungover, chat to mates on email do a bit of internet shopping and then work into the evening thinking I was really ‘busy and important’ living by the work hard play hard culture I was part of in fashion in London.

you are probably working just as hard, we just become more adept at time management as working parents don’t we.

Focus on your results, set yourself meaningful objectives and be proud of everything you are achieving inside and outside of work. That’s my advice.

Funny, friend of mine is a solicitor advising magistrates in the family court. She is in court all day and it’s full on back to back all day, to the point where she hardly gets a wee break and ends her work day dehydrated as a result. I guess criminal and family is different? Or maybe the recent cuts have made the job more demanding?

Funny, friend of mine is a solicitor advising magistrates in the family court. She is in court all day and it’s full on back to back all day, to the point where she hardly gets a wee break and ends her work day dehydrated as a result. I guess criminal and family is different? Or maybe the recent cuts have made the job more demanding?

Nope. This is the difference between solicitors and high court judges! Totally different roles.

I want a half arsed job!!

Haha oh god. Calm down Gordon Gekko.

No one is indispensible. No one.

And slogging your guts out in the mistaken belief you might be the exception to the rule is, frankly, naive at best and a shortcut to a breakdown at worst.

@TorroFerney snap! 🤣

So as a midwife I should have just half arsed my job. Ignored the CTG reading when it was showing decels? Not bothered giving women pain relief when required? Is that what you’re saying? Just half arse my job? I couldn’t do that, sorry.

Oh don't be ridiculous, even midwives aren't doing critical work every second of every shift. I get all the important stuff done contientiously and meet all the important deadlines. Sometimes, things that aren't so important are allowed to slide a bit or not done with so much attention to detail.

Nope. And neither should you!

But I'm finding this thread fascinating from the point of view of strike threads where nurses and midwives are told they work no harder than other similarly qualified professionals and should stop moaning...

Some jobs you are 100% and full on all the time.

Office jobs aren't like that.

I am in a 100% type job too, but that doesn't mean I think those who aren't should have to work the same way for little reward.

Absolutely. I spent many years in my previous role working long hours rushing about sometimes coming in on Saturdays and bank holidays. And then when the company was taken over they looked at the balance sheet and made all of the highest earners redundant - that was their only criteria - a faceless person in the US drew a line on a salary spreadsheet and everyone above that was gone.

And some of the useless lazy fuckers still there now plodding along doing the bare minimum.

Thats why now I’ve stepped back taken a lower level role and while I perform my role very competently, I won’t do anything above and beyond

Don’t be complaining then when they start using the other favourite corporate slogan, we are getting rid of all of the Dead wood 😜

I do all my life admin at work. I do plenty of work stuff in lunch breaks and out of hours and I'm efficient enough to be able to do it without it impacting my work.

People say they get done as much at home but it doesn't seem to be so. The OP admits she's half arsing it and doing about 70% instead of the 100% before so obviously less is done.

I agree that employers can see this and this is why many want more and more people back into the office. Then posters complain they often don't want to work in the office anymore 🤔oh well, there you go.

This is a really silly comment - you absolutely know OP is not calling for everyone to make little to no effort in their jobs. Ignoring CTG readings and withholding pain relief would be totally different to not finishing a report before lunch time because you've decided to stick a load of laundry on instead.

For example - I'm on the clock til 6pm tonight but I'm wfh and won't get a chance to shower in peace when the kids are home. So I'm going now, then I'll wrap up work the day and log on a bit early Monday if there's something I haven't finished this afternoon. This is not me telling you to abandon a patient in labour to wash your hair. Some jobs you have wiggle room and others you don't... in my role, nothing I'm planning to complete today will cause significant issues of I complete it Monday instead.

Well no, but we're not all midwives or doctors or nurses or teachers.

I work in a non customer/client facing role in the private sector. If I take my sweet time updating our brand guidelines, it's really not going to make a jot of difference to anyone.

I think you've misunderstood me. Wfh is irrelevant. I'm giving 70% in the office too. Probably less, because it's dead and there's absolutely no atmosphere and the place just saps my energy.

Totally agree OP and I don’t have any kids I just prefer to do things at my own pace. Everyone’s dispensable so I think it’s misguided to give too much loyalty or effort to employers when they’d bin us in a jiffy if budgets ran out. As little work as possible for the most money is how I roll. I’m self employed so nobody’s going to be forcing me to an office either.