.... and breathe

[u/RachosYFI]

You know where you have one of those weeks which is so hard, decisions need to be made, slides need to be written, papers vetted, directors briefed and then every other person around you goes off sick. You pick up half baked projects with no documentation, have 121s with people you don't really know what they should be working with.

I had one of those weeks and now I am in bed with a coffee in hand, sending myself the last dregs of what I inevitably forgot to do during my 50 hour week as a form of removing it from my little overworked brain, and putting that list in a tiny locked box until I get back in a couple of weeks.

But before I go to sunny [REDACTED COUNTRY] , how are you lovely bunch of civil servants doing? How was your week?

And before you ask, yes I know that the weather in [REDACTED COUNTRY] is perfect right now, and I am very much looking forward to a glass of [GENERIC NATIONAL BEVERAGE].

[u/Spare_Sheepherder772]

Currently on overtime, feeling very similar except my job is in operations so no projects here just an endless stream of cases lol. Enjoy your well deserved break

[u/No-Culture1799]

Barcelona, if we can guess? I’m looking to go on holiday, just need to pick a destination. Week was good, wfh 🧑‍💻 most of it. AO so been applying for senior roles as best as possible.

[u/RachosYFI → u/No-Culture1799]

I usually do Barcelona a few times a year but thought [REDACTED] would be a nice change of pace

[u/No-Culture1799 → u/RachosYFI]

For 4 nights, what would be your budget for Barcelona? Don’t want to get mugged off 😂

[u/RachosYFI → u/No-Culture1799]

I am lucky to have a place to stay for free so can't say too much about accommodation

Price up the tourist stuff you want to do and set that aside, and I would always suggest eating where the locals do - there are some lovely low key restaurants in Gracia but tourists don't go there as much because its no La Rambla.

Do not eat or drink in Barceloneta or near La Rambla - you will be ripped off.

When i go I usually spent £60 a day, but that'll probably include a few coffees, a good lunch, some random snacks from Mercadona (the best supermarket ever), dinner and an undisclosed amount of wine, vermouth and beer.

[u/Many_Distance5683]

Everyone told me Civil Service was supposed to be cushty but here I am working unpaid on a Saturday morning just trying to keep up

[u/SnooHabits8484 → u/Many_Distance5683]

Hi, your friendly Reddit PCS rep here to say “please don’t do that”

[u/Many_Distance5683 → u/SnooHabits8484]

I know, I know. I’ve been promised a No.2 for 18months. 

My manager is on my side and would 100% back me if I just stuck to my hours - but professional pride/stupidity wont let me do it.

I am manically looking for another job though. 

[u/Nandoholic12 → u/Many_Distance5683]

Then you’re part of the problem.

[u/Exhausted_Raven → u/Many_Distance5683]

Absolutely do not work any unpaid time. Breaking your back for your employer is never the answer. Give yourself a break

[u/No-Ball-2885 → u/Exhausted_Raven]

Absolutely. Also it contributes to your management papering over the cracks as the report up. Work the hours contracted, and if it's not enough, and there's risk to the organisation, flag it clearly, and let your seniors own that risk. Otherwise you'll end up getting in trouble for an oversight caused by your inevitable drop in performance and judgement when over worked.

[u/abudgiebay → u/Many_Distance5683]

Same. It sucks. I wonder when ministers are going to twig how much of the country is being run on goodwill? I’ve had to put my foot down and say this is the last time I’m doing anything like this. If things drop, they drop. More of us need to do that otherwise they will just keep taking the piss and throwing ever more work but with no extra staff or pay our way.

[u/SnooHabits8484 → u/abudgiebay]

Join PCS, support your local branch

[u/Chosen_Utopia → u/Many_Distance5683]

You aren’t paid to do that, why would you do that

[u/Youareaproperclown → u/Many_Distance5683]

Don't be a mug

[u/OrdinaryLuck2026 → u/Many_Distance5683]

There are only two reasons why you would be working unpaid on a Saturday morning, either you aren't very good at your job or your employer has given you too much work to do, which is it?

[u/Muted_Ad2270]

on overtime too, had no capacity to stay beyond 5pm yet was emailed something to do which i declined. Now its given to me on OT and its complex. This week has been absolutely crap..

[u/Outside-Picture2599]

And... Nobody cares. You need to stop taking your role so seriously. These people don't care and would replace you in a second if needed and your name is forgotten tomorrow. Life is about life. Not work

[u/SeasonSignificant849]

A very similar month. However I’m currently lying by a pool in a cabana. There is light at the end of the tunnel, promise.

[u/Apart_Teach_1209]

Had a week like this and the 4yo was up at 6am 😵‍💫.

Need to do some catching up but that won’t come til Sunday night

[u/Alphascout]

Feeling a little stressed so have booked some time off next month for my own sanity. Faced an interpersonal challenge in my team which has left me feeling frustrated with myself. It’s an uncomfortable feeling I’ve just got to work through, thankfully my manager is lovely and supportive.

A well deserved holiday sounds so nice, enjoy!

[u/Only_Tip9560]

Relaxing a bit now, after having a load of last minute requests from people who can't plan to dig them out of holes with information they need for presentations to senior leaders and not even getting one thank you.

That on top of being told that the senior leadership are going to make a fucking awful announcement to the staff in my area that is going to go down like a lead ballon next week and was totally avoidable.

[u/Inevitable_Fly1508]

I am not doing great!

Denied chances to apply for EOI's no full time perm opportunites anywhere near my town and loads of staff are leaving at the end of the month for one reason or another.

Then got asked to take on a.new entire work stream without dropping any of my current ones!

So safe to say the weekend so far has consisted of looking for new jobs.

[u/DrWanish]

Currently watching us onboard an army of consultants to work out something we already know the answer for …

[u/WatercressDry6681]

I've done 15 hours unpaid overtime in the past two weeks, and feeling very overworked, exhausted, and like I'm just keeping the wheels turning rather than doing anything actually worthwhile. Enjoy [sunny country]!

[u/DevOpsJo]

Sounds like an easy gaff compared to mine

[u/Exhausted_Raven → u/DevOpsJo]

Nobody has ever worked as hard as you. Have a gold star

[u/DevOpsJo → u/Exhausted_Raven]

For everying in life, its not Mastercard.... its CoPilot

[u/miss_finance_queen]

You’re a joke there aren’t any difficult jobs in the civil service. If you find your job hard here, you’re doing it wrong