Has anyone learnt to love their job, and how?

[BarbaraPalmer]

I work in healthcare, and am under the usual pressures. Frozen posts, increased workload, increased targets, extra hours for no extra money. Pretty common stuff, but fairly crappy on an ongoing basis. There are also a number of issues particular to my current workplace with critical, unsupportive management. I am beyond stressed.

BUT BUT BUT

The job fits amazingly well into my life. The employer pays 10% more than the others locally. I have a 0.5 WTE contract, chose my own work pattern within reason, and have a minimal commute, all of which means I get to see my young DC a lot. There is little movement in the job market at the moment, and if I did secure another post, it would have a long commute, and most likely be full-time.

So I really need to learn how to love my job, and/or manage my stress better. Work are not proving helpful with either of these, so I wondered if anyone has been in the same boat?

I started to reply to this earlier, but it turned into a rant about bad management! Here's the edited version...

There are things you can do. Hopefully you have a Forward Job Plan. Realistically estimate the time each of those tasks will take you, as a proportion of your conditioned hours. If it adds up to more than 100%, show it to your manager and force them to make the decision about what you should jettison. Do the same every time they try to land more stuff on you. They get paid more than you do because they bear the ultimate responsibility for managing workload. They either need to hire extra people, or they need to manage the expectations of the stakeholders.

Are you a member of a union? If so, ask your H&S rep to look into your employers risk assessments and how they manage risk of workplace stress. It sounds to me like they're not meeting their legal responsibilities to protect their employees against this very real hazard... Either because they don't know they have to, or because they don't know how. There are some really good services available, through employers, occupational health providers, the NHS etc.: counsellors and training courses dealing with work-related stress. The big issue for you, as I read it, is learning to trust your own assessment that what you're being asked to do is excessive, and to have the confidence to challenge it.

thanks Sandthorn.

I don't have a Forward Job Plan. I think this is one of the problems TBH. I am seconded into the NHS from elsewhere, and my role is not clearly defined (see previous comments re management). Middle management are very keen to acquiesce with whatever senior management dictate, and this limits our ability to pass work back. Our union has been approached with regards to the health and safety aspect of things, but this was only on Friday, so perhaps this may prove fruitful.

I do have access to counselling in the workplace though, and had my first very productive session this week, which I'm hoping will help in the longer term. I did push back two pieces of work this week, but it's hard to do this consistently when you care about the outcomes for both patients and other colleagues who are then pressured into doing the work.