Working hours

[Ideasplease322]

I have recently started a new job, it A big step up and to be honest I am struggling.

One of the issues is the long hours. It’s an office job - wfh at the moment.

I work 7am to 7pm and check emails for about an hour before bed. I am still massively behind. I can’t cope with this.

After 12 straight hours I am exhausted. I have just sat down to have some food, and I can still hear the emails pinging away. People are still working, and I will have to go and do one or two more hours before bed.

How do people work these hours? I take Saturdays off, but always do A few hours on Sunday. And I am not keeping my head above water.

1. Switch of whatever device it is that you can hear the e-mails on. You do not have to respond to them now. You start to look at them in the morning when you start work.
2. Make an appointment with your line manager to discuss what you have just told us. Write some bullet points beforehand, and explain that there appears to be a lot more work than is possible in 12 hours, let alone 7 1/2 or whatever you are paid for, and that you would like some guidance in what the business would like to prioritise, and how you, as a Team can look to either delegate or streamline what is coming into your in tray at the moment. Acknowledge, as you are new there are probably some things that might take you longer now that they will once you are more familiar with the work, but even with that slight adjustment, the work coming in at the moment is more than one person can do.
3. Keep it away from "I'm not coping" and talk in terms of "business priorities.
4. Start the meeting with a cheery "Ill take notes shall I?" then e-mail them over to her / him after the meeting, so there is a record.

Thank you - I spoke to my director today.

He acknowledged the workload was too big for me and my small team and I have more people starting on Monday.

I feel like a failure, but also like a huge weight has been lifted.

He is also forcing me to take some leave.

I am going to bed early tonight!

Great news.