Sunday 21 August 2016

Anniversary!


My anniversary at work (if you will) was August 3 - one whole year already! That went fast. 

It's been a year of learning curves, feeling frustrated and stressed at times, bored at others, but overall I believe I've done very well. For the most part, I understand what I'm doing and have been given more to do, have found my work rhythm and know what I can complete in a day and how quickly I can do it. 

And yesterday I was told I have an extra holiday day now! Yay!


I can either use it this year or roll it over and add it to next year's (giving me a total of 22 days). Tempting to use it this year, but once I've come back from Ireland there isn't really anything pressing I want to do so, at this point, I will roll it over and perhaps take a long weekend somewhere. I have places I want to go (European destinations) and people to see there, so having an extra day to use as and when would be terrific.

But (you knew there'd be one, didn't you?) doing a pros and cons list, let's see how it really looks.

Pros:

1. Lovely colleagues!
2. Steady, regular income.
3. They bought me an annual train pass!!
4. We're (finally!) getting new chairs.
5. Interesting sector of work (construction related, and I love construction and anything 'house-y' and real estate related) and one that's absolutely ruined me for a future home purchase (but not in a bad way - just makes me more aware of what to look out for).
6. I'm comfortable and confident in what I'm doing/saying/telling clients.
7. An easy, straightforward, non-stressful commute.
8. I'm good at it and, for the most part, like it.
9. Dog Tuesday - one of my colleagues brings her dog into the office. It's my favourite weekday. :)

Cons:

1. I'm Bored (see the 'for the most part' qualifier in #9 above).

Yup, the ultimate motivation killer - boredom. 

I'm aware that all jobs become routine after a time - what would we do without it? - but there's no room for growth, which is a bit limiting in the long run because the company is so small. Everyone has their job.

It's why I enjoyed the week the MD was away - it was quiet and I was away from my desk and working on a - not insubstantial - project. It appealed to my mild OCD and need for order - which only manifests at work - and it felt great to accomplish such a much-needed, albeit dirty, job. I need more projects like this or one that I can pick away at weekly, monthly, etc. and that has a proper result at the end of it.

Do I want to leave? Yes and no. No, because I think I need the stability for a bit and I DO like it. I'm tired of job hopping if I'm honest.

Yes, because...bored and no growth potential.

And that's the reason I was contemplating going back to school, which I've since decided isn't a good idea this year. I'm going to leave this on the back burner at the moment and assess how things look next year. I definitely need to be further ahead in debt reduction before I take on something like that again.

I'm hoping that I can have a discussion with the Directors at my annual review and work out some kind of a project with them. A continuation of what I started would be great, but there has to be something - marketing? Some kind of writing? Learning some of the HR aspects? I don't know.

Anyway, I'm hoping for a positive review regardless and hopefully a little pay rise.

But I also think I just need a more fulfilling life OUTSIDE of work. There are so many things I like, but that I just don't do: bike riding, photography, writing, walking...Instead, I spend most of my free time either watching TV (okay to a point) or reading. The former is just a bad habit and addictive. The latter I don't want to change at all, just do something a little more outside it.

I need to do some serious soul searching and this is part of the reason I'm looking forward to Ireland so much. I'm hoping for a good mental cleansing. :)

6 comments:

MW said...

Have a super time in Ireland!!!

Northern Living Allowance said...

Hi MW!! Thank you - SOO excited!! xx

its me, sam said...

Have a blast with Jane in Ireland!

Northern Living Allowance said...

Hi Sam - Thank you! I'm sure we will :D x

The Asian Pear said...

Well... There's two schools of thought. You either live to work or you work to live. If you're in the former camp then find a job that's right for you. If you're bored, you're bored. If you're in the latter camp, try to find something outside of work and see how that works out. You only finished school a few years ago did you not, are you ready to jump back at it?

Rose (UK) said...

Oh, please do a post about what to look for when buying a house...I'm about to start looking and need all the help I can get! Thank you x