For the most part, I like my job (my work outside the house job). I choose it quickly and mainly for practical reasons that had nothing to do with the job or the environment. My grand plan was if I found I didn't like it there, I would find a different job when it was practical. I've been there for over 5 years now, and generally like it. Since I got pregnant with Obsidian, I have worked 8 hours a month (well with a 9 months of no work thrown in as well). Occasionally 16 hours in a month. For the past 4 weeks, I've been working 20-24 hours a week. No ramping up, just dove into more hours. I had not worked a week day at all prior to the 2nd last week in October since April 2008. I was expecting more of a shock to my system, but it has gone surprisingly smoothly in many ways. However, I'm annoyed with my co-workers. In the past, I've been annoyed with one person or another at various points, but not the multiple people I am right now.
Several weeks ago at work we switched from paper to computerized (mostly, there are a few things we still have to do on paper which is driving me mad at this point as I keep forgetting to do them). This day was my first work week day back. Our field is going to computerized everything. In 10 years, there will be very little work that is purely done on paper is my prediction. It is fairly accepted by everyone that we will be "all computerize" in a similar time frame. A significant number of my co-workers are complaining about this change and how much they hate it and how much more productive they were when using paper. There are some issues with the computer program we are using. Some just being quirks we will learn to live with or navigate around. Some being more serious and will most likely lead to changes in the program. I'm sure it is not the "best" program, but I know I've worked with far worse. I don't see much if any point in endlessly complaining about "going paperless". It was going to happen. It was just a matter of a specific time. So basically whine and complaining gets us no where, we just have to get through this. I try to be understanding of my co-workers. I know I have several advantages. I'm a touch typist (when I was 10, my dad decided that one of the "jobs" I had around the house like doing my homework, clearing the table, folding laundry, exc was to spend 15 minutes per day in a touch typing program until I had the full keyboard at so many wpm, if I didn't do my 15 minutes, I got punished. I hated it and thought it was stupid, by the time I reached high school (to say nothing of college and beyond), I was grateful of that "job"). I've worked at other "paperless" facilities so it isn't really that foreign to me. And most of all, I don't get worked up about things particularly if they are going wrong. I just have the urge to yell "Deal with it!" when people start their rants. Instead I say "Calm down. Slow down. Take a deep breath. Let me see if I can help you." Let me tell you what this does to my productivity.
Another issue has been snippiness between co-workers. A unit is being moved to a different facility. As a consequence, the department that I'm part of is going to have to be split. Some will stay, and some will go with the unit. At first there was tension among the department, then as the process of choosing who was going and who was staying started officially, people got down right mean, rude, and embarrassing to call co-workers because of how they were treating each other. I can't stand back stabbing, and I've seen way too much of it. I have said on occasion that I don't like seeing that behavior and the some comments were completely off base (one co-worker told another that she shouldn't mind working holidays because she "doesn't have any kids"... I can't even tell you how hurtful it was to this person, I know she wants to have kids, it just has not been in the cards for her yet. The only thing I really can say was that at least I spoke up and said how incredibly rude and unprofessional the comment was.). This has made me a target as well. As much as I want the unit to stay at the facility I'm at now, I want the move to be over. Originally it was supposed to be Jan 1, now there are rumors that it won't be until spring.
So with this in mind, I've been toying with the idea of looking for a different job. I don't really want more hours (well the hours are good for now, we did some major home improvements that need to be paid off) and I like how easy it is to come in and do a job I know. But my co-workers are driving me nuts right now. I'm trying to give it time to calm down. Some days I do better than others with convincing myself waiting before deciding is the best choice.
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