Feeling spread too thin at work
mylittlesunshine
member
I work at a non-profit and as any one who works non-profit knows the budget is always a concern. I went on ML right around the time they let 4 people go due to budget ( I work in a very small office of about 15). I was actually surprised they kept me on staff.
Well now that we are a smaller staff, we are being asked to help with overnight shifts. Upon my arrival back from ML, I let managment know that I will be unable to be as flexible as I once was until DD2 is a little older (DH works a FT and PT job which he is gone for up to 13 hours a day). Well they are asking staff to help work the overnight shifts and I know they will ask me. I am so overwhelmed somtimes with it just being me almost every day with the kids when I am home from work (since most times it is just me) and I worry that now being asked to work a shift overnight I have no clue how I am going to do it all. I will be tired and have to watch two small children by myself. We have no family nearby that can help out. I am afraid that if I say I can't help with the overnights I will be let go. To add to it, I have been activly looking for new employment for 2 years with no such luck and we need my income so I can't just stop working.
Sorry if this was really long. I am just feeling burnt out and stressed. I just don't know what I am going to do if they were to come to me and ask to work an overnight.
Goodbye little angel(7/22/2011)....see you in heaven
Goodbye my second angel (9/18/2011)
Re: Feeling spread too thin at work
I might go to my manager and talk about my concerns.
As of right now I think the only reason they kept me on was because I do so much for them for reporting out for grants, data entry and I basically design all their printed material. They basically switched my job ( from managing voluneers) when I came back from ML and now I just sit at the front desk. Still doing the computer stuff, but doing the overnights would be basically what I am doing now....just at a different time of the day.
Goodbye little angel(7/22/2011)....see you in heaven
Goodbye my second angel (9/18/2011)
Sorry you're dealing with this :-( I ditto the PPs suggestions to talk with your boss and make it clear that you want to be a team player and help out, but you can't help with the overnights. Maybe brainstorm other things you could work on during your normal hours or ways you could put your skills to better use, and go into the meeting with those. I think managers appreciate when people come in with solutions.
I know it's hard if you're already feeling spread thin, but if there's something you could take off someone else's plate in exchange for them doing the overnights, maybe it would help make things more equitable? Good luck!