Finally got smart and made a template of the week one food diary questions. My brain is completely fried from being at work today. I've seen this problem numerous times - ineffective manager is a nice/conscientious person who feels as if s/he has to work three or four times as hard as they should because lazier/manipulative underlings know s/he won't be confronted or dealt with properly and the work needs to get done. The Assistant Manager left and my boss has said several things about the woman who is training to fill the role. It sounds as if the decision to promote her was made by someone other than her, I haven't heard the entire story, but her authority may have been usurped when she was on vacation.
I followed her around for a while and got very annoyed at several things. She gave a condescending speech about reading at the desk (like I have time to sit and read when I'm shadowing others) I haven't been there long enough to know what bad habits others in the department may have. This is a power struggle, she thinks she has it and can assert it over me. I wonder how well she and I are going to get along. I have assistant manager experience and I'm easily twice the employee she is despite being brand new. She can't prioritize and she seems to be under the mistaken impression that a good manager needs to explain every detail and hover over others.
We were asked to open some boxes in back. The way she went about it was very inefficient, my boss asked her to get the spices done before the gifts since Thursday is a bulk spice discount day. That made perfect sense to me. After loading the spices onto the cart we wheeled it over to the spice station. She asked if I would put the bin numbers on the spices which doesn't sound that hard, but I'm new and not familar with the products. I'm also wheeling a cart that is loaded with silver bags of spices, salts, and products I've never heard of before. I didn't think I would be done before midnight, but fortunately I was able to get through it more quickly than I originally thought. My boss came over and apologized to me for being stuck with the bulk spice labeling.
I told her it wasn't a big deal, it actually had been kind of nice to get away from the sales floor, but I had thought it was a bit much for a new employee who hadn't been given any instructions. The labeling system is fairly clear, but there's a dot system to indicate where extra spices are located that's different from the system we have in my department. One dot in our department means there is more in stock, in spices it means there is product behind the glass jar. I had offered to stay until 4:00, but after the spice jar incident I asked if I could go home. I felt bad, but I was shot. Part of it was probably the whole new job thing, but another part is the stress of figuring out where I'm going to live and how I'm going to get the girls to school in the mornings and home again at night once it starts.
Week One Questions:
1. How many hours of sleep did you get last night?
I woke up at 4:30 this morning, but didn't get out of bed until around 5:30. Not sure how many hours. Going with six.
2. Did you sleep consistently through the night?
I don't remember waking up more than once.
3. How did you feel upon waking?
Pretty good.
4. What foods did you add in today?
Nothing. Ate a protein shake from work instead of supper. Not recommended.
5. Did you eliminate anything from your diet?
No.
6. How much water did you drink today?
Not nearly enough. With all the running around I did I was legit sweating at work. I also forgot my water bottle at work, sucks to be me.
7. What was your energy level like?
I took an anxiety pill before I went into work this morning. Boy was it nice to be calm. But then it wore off and I was my usual frantic self. Came home and crashed on the couch.
8. What did you crave?
Eggs.
9. Did you incorporate any movement today?
I went for a short walk with my neighbor after work. I skipped my morning walk and think that was okay. I did most of my stretches, I overdid it on Tuesday so I backed off and rested today. That was the smart call.
10. Before bed, take time to write down three blessings or things you were thankful for from your day:
- I'm so grateful that my boss watches out for me so I don't get manipulated by lazy coworkers.
- I'm thankful that my sister came to pick up the girls so I didn't have to drive them to her place.
- I'm still happy to be employed, thinking about talking to my boss because I don't know if I'm going to be able to go straight into a full time schedule. It's a very physical job and in the beginning it's very mentally taxing. I'd like benefits, but I don't want to burn myself out.
- I haven't spent any more at the store. A fear of mine was that I was going to stop making food at home and spend a lot of money buying snacks and treats at work.
- The weather has been amazing. Didn't get outside today as much as I would have liked, but I got to enjoy it while I was walking and driving.
- I have the next couple of days to myself.
- I'm really grateful for my friend who is taking me to a Brewers game on Sunday. Very generous gesture.
- My boss is letting me make my own schedule for the most part and she makes working around me a priority. She praises me a lot and is thankful to have me. That's a great feeling.
- The HR manager let me have an extra apron without charing me for it.
- I wasn't there when free samples of some things were being handed out so my boss put together a little care package for me. Very nice to be considered like that.
- I'm still keeping up with this even though it's hard to motivate myself to log on and start writing. Having this format really helps. Doubt I would be as committed otherwise.
- The guy I like sent me a really cute picture.
- My neighbor stopped by with the dog, I wouldn't have gone on a walk by myself.
- I'm not being as hard on myself as I have been in the past. I was working hard and had a goofy day. It happens.
- I keep thinking of more things to be grateful for the more I do this. Funny how that works...