Need help to stay motivated

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Wasn't that in that old Peter Falk/Alan Arkin movie, The In-Laws?

"Serpentine Shelley! Don't forget to Serpentine!"

Ding! Ding! Ding!

 

[LeatherneckPA]

,,,I have to name my 1 yr, 3 yr and 5 yr goals, and I think it would be safe to say it would be suicide to put retirement in any of those slots.....

WOW, what the heck kind of corp do you work for? It's almost a standard question for me anymore, "Hey LT, how many days?" I'm not even counting days yet, but I am under 18 month limit.

Actually, I'm finding it easier to come to work each day, because I'm coming to terms with a couple of facts. One,,,,,I am powerless to really make any significant changes in my agency. Two,,,,, my agency is powerless to make any significant impact on my future.

 

[LeatherneckPA]

.....Last weekend I decided I just couldn't keep giving my free time to the office. I was supposed to go in this weekend and I didn't, I wanted some me time. I have a pile of work on my desk which can only be accomplished by doing 60+ hours a week, something I just don't want to do.....

You get paid for a 40 hour week, so that's what you need to start to give them, a 40 hour week. Try to explain to them politely that you don't need "career-enhancing" and they should look for someone who wants it. But you have to learn to say "enough".

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

...And then reality sets in shortly after you're fired for not working the extra time to get the expected (ridiculous) level of work done.

Welcome to corporate america , cost cutting and headcount reductions.

 

[Gone4Good]

...And then reality sets in shortly after you're fired for not working the extra time to get the expected (ridiculous) level of work done.

Welcome to corporate america , cost cutting and headcount reductions.

Yup. I'm not sure a 40 hour work week is even normal any more, unless you're part of a union.

 

[LeatherneckPA]

Again, WOW. I've never done the corporate america thing. I've been in government service and/or law enforcement ever since I left college. I hear about cut-throat stuff like that, and then thank my lucky stars I'm not in that foot race.

 

[SteveR]

Again, WOW. I've never done the corporate america thing. I've been in government service and/or law enforcement ever since I left college. I hear about cut-throat stuff like that, and then thank my lucky stars I'm not in that foot race.

I've been in it over 34 years and it gets worse every year. Do more with less and learn to like it is the mantra. If you don't we can find someone else who will. Cut backs and "right sizing" will continue as America learns to work smarter instead of harder or we will have all our jobs outsourced.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

My favorite still remains the preference for a kid right out of college that works 70 hour work weeks vs a 50 year old guy that wants to work 40 hours, but has enough experience to do twice the work in the reduced time, avoiding a lot of politics and BS in the process.

 

[sgeeeee]

My favorite still remains the preference for a kid right out of college that works 70 hour work weeks vs a 50 year old guy that wants to work 40 hours, but has enough experience to do twice the work in the reduced time, avoiding a lot of politics and BS in the process.

Yes, but the kid will worship the a$$hole boss while the 50 year old knows he's a dimwit.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Ding! Ding! Ding!

 

[Nords]

Actually, I'm finding it easier to come to work each day, because I'm coming to terms with a couple of facts. One,,,,,I am powerless to really make any significant changes in my agency. Two,,,,, my agency is powerless to make any significant impact on my future.

In your Corps days that used to be "We can make it harder, but they can't make it longer!"

 

[WanderALot]

It will have to wait a few more days so I can finally retire. I hope that will happen Tuesday.

Well, I was looking at the calendar and it looks like today is Wednesday!

 

[Leonidas]

Well, I was looking at the calendar and it looks like today is Wednesday!

Still not retired - stuck in a bureaucratic holding pattern.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Like I said before...if a bureaucrat fell out of a window, it'd take six months for them to hit the ground.

 

[VoyT]

Yup. I'm not sure a 40 hour work week is even normal any more, unless you're part of a union.

Not even then ... there are companies that would rather pay the OT than hire another body or two.

 

[heyyou]

A late response to the original question: Near retirement, working in the service industry, I took pride in helping the customers, regardless of what Megacorp wanted for productivity. The customers thought i was dedicated, but it was pride in MY work, regardless of who my employer was. That lasted until ER, long after I had lost respect for Megacorp.
The dissatisfaction with Megacorp is what drove the saving to get to FIRE. That was making lemonade.

 

[tricky88]

...I took pride in helping the customers, regardless of what Megacorp wanted for productivity. The customers thought i was dedicated, but it was pride in MY work, regardless of who my employer was...

Good for you. Pride in customer service is something I genuinely admire. I've worked retail before - and other jobs where I had to constantly interact with the public - and it's certianly not always easy. But when, as a customer, I deal with someone knowledgable and helpful about the product I'm interested in - I love it. I feel good buying the service or item.

I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to buy something and just walked out of a store b/c the employees are rude or oblivious.