Hating my job more and more

*sparky*

I am roughly 6 weeks from having a baby.  I have been at this job for close to three years and never really liked it, but the environment has definitely deteriorated as good people have left.  As time goes by, and I get to be more and more pregnant and cranky, I hate my job more each day.  I have become really irritable and everything gets on my nerves.  Some of it is justified, but I am definitely quicker to  snap than I was before.

It also does not help that I am supposed to only work three days/week and have two days off, partially because the environment here makes me so stressed out when I was full-time.  But due to the horrible winter we have had, I end up having to stay home for snow days, during which I work from home, and then have to make up time in the office, so I have not really had a day off in weeks.  My boss has also taken to calling me on my cell phone on any days when I do in fact manage to not be here.

So I am not quitting now, due to the fact that I am having a baby very soon, but I need some tips for coping because I am not doing a very good job of it.  I have already said I am totally checking out during my ML and that will help tremendously.  I just need to get to that point without getting myself fired!

jf198400

No advice here but just wanted to say I understand your frustrations, especially with the snow days. Spring is almost here! Hopefully no more snow so you can have some days off. Personally I would just start mentally checking out. What's that boss you tried to call yesterday? Oh oops my phone was dead, my bad. You will be out on ML soon, your boss needs to learn to respect some boundaries and to cope without you there all the time.

*sparky*

Estwd2 said:

Are you able to listen to music while you work? When I want people to leave me alone, I put on some headphones and listen to something calming or fun.

It's funny you say that.  Yesterday I was thinking I should bring in a radio, but then I thought I did not want to start bringing personal items into the office in case I don't come back after ML.  Not that I can actually do that, but I am so detached from this place I have not brought in one single personal item in the 3 years I have worked here. 

jlaOK

I love my job and still had a hard time being motivated at work while pregnant.  I had textbook "easy" pregnancies but there is just something about having to work while pregnant that makes you miserable.  My advice is to just countdown until baby comes and hope that you are refreshed (albeit sleep deprived) and ready to get back at it after maternity leave.

cecilyandgautam

I was totally in your shoes leading up to the birth of my first. I helped to remind myself that being at an old job that I definitely can handle while not fully mentally checked in has its upsides: easy to stay on top of deliverables even while out of the office more frequently for check ups, no one said anything to me when I came in 20 minutes late (not great on my part, I know), and I could even take a 15 minute cat nap under my desk without anyone noticing. People were annoying and I'd just remind myself "only 3 more weeks, 3 more weeks" - but overall, I think it's less stressful to be in a place where you've already proved your worth and learned to do your work efficiently. 

It also helped that I was shifting portfolios a bit upon my return. It's pretty common in my organization actually that being out of the office for a few months lends itself to a negotiation on what's in your portfolio - the moms who come back with a new assignment they're excited about seem to adjust better when ML is over. 

*sparky*

Thanks everyone.  Those are some great tips.  I think having a calendar countdown will be a huge help, and I will break down and bring in a radio (can't stream from my phone or pc here).  I also need to start working toward a new job after ML and that should help my outlook tremendously. 

CarrieB.

Start making lists if everything you want in a new job and what you are looking forward to about maternity leave. That helped me when I was in a similar situation when I was pg w DD1.

I was pretty lucky and found a new job a couple months after I returned from leave. Good luck!