Day 27 - A problem that you have had.
I have a problem with saying no. Before anyone jumps to conclusions and calls me a sexual deviant, I don't mean in THAT way. Just in the way that if someone says 'Can you just...?' I'll be the person saying 'Yes of course!' despite the fact that it will undoubtedly cause me stress, take away from my free time/ sleep time, cost me financially and/or otherwise impare me.
I find it happens most often at work. I have to stick to strict deadlines, and (touch wood) I haven't missed one in seven months of work. But I do have days where the in tray is full to bursting, I'm a machine down and everyone wants everything now. There are rules in place that say I need 24 hours notice for jobs, there are no cutsies on days like this, and that I am able to turn people away and tell them to get their arses in gear next time. But although I can send a mass emailing saying as such, when someone comes in and asks for a 'quick job' I can't say no, and will stress myself silly then catching up on the backlog. Especially if teachers send students, because it's essentially a huge 'if you don't this now you're screwing up my education' in the face.
Actually there's a teacher who does this a lot who really annoys me. Mostly, if teachers come themselves and can see I'm busy they'll use their lugs and either wait, come back or (if they have to interupt me) will be really apologetic. But this guy does none of that. He stands next to me as if he's going to jump in when I turn my back (considering that he has not been trained to use the industrial copiers this is huge no no anyway). When I do ask how I can help him (he'll never ASK for help), he gives me an order, then doesn't say please or thank you, and when I point out that he can put things in my in tray at the beginning of the day to pick up later, he just shrugs and says he hasn't got the time for that. And the thing that really REALLY pisses me off, is that he's sexist. Not in that overt way (no sexual harassment complaint here) but in that subtle way. I'll explain - in the print room there is me. That's it - I'm employed as the sole reprographics technician for the high school. BUT we have a college campus on site, and their reprographics technician comes over in the afternoons to borrow a machine. He is not there to do high school stuff, only college stuff, although he's lovely and will help me out by doing small simple jobs if I'm swamped and he's less busy. Even so, staff should ask me for favours, not him. But this guy - even though he knows this - will still come into the room, and if the college guy is there go straight to him even if I'm sat on a chair reading because I have no work to do and for once am waiting for disorganised teachers like him. I might be over reacting, but I just take it as a huge snubb and hate it. But can I tell him to bugger off and use the system like everyone else? Can I hell as.
< /rant >
I'm too eager to please. This is why I prefer to work alone under my own command. At least then the only person jumping jobs up the queue is going to be me. And I am not afraid to beat me up...
Ciao
~*Ruth*~
I find it happens most often at work. I have to stick to strict deadlines, and (touch wood) I haven't missed one in seven months of work. But I do have days where the in tray is full to bursting, I'm a machine down and everyone wants everything now. There are rules in place that say I need 24 hours notice for jobs, there are no cutsies on days like this, and that I am able to turn people away and tell them to get their arses in gear next time. But although I can send a mass emailing saying as such, when someone comes in and asks for a 'quick job' I can't say no, and will stress myself silly then catching up on the backlog. Especially if teachers send students, because it's essentially a huge 'if you don't this now you're screwing up my education' in the face.
Actually there's a teacher who does this a lot who really annoys me. Mostly, if teachers come themselves and can see I'm busy they'll use their lugs and either wait, come back or (if they have to interupt me) will be really apologetic. But this guy does none of that. He stands next to me as if he's going to jump in when I turn my back (considering that he has not been trained to use the industrial copiers this is huge no no anyway). When I do ask how I can help him (he'll never ASK for help), he gives me an order, then doesn't say please or thank you, and when I point out that he can put things in my in tray at the beginning of the day to pick up later, he just shrugs and says he hasn't got the time for that. And the thing that really REALLY pisses me off, is that he's sexist. Not in that overt way (no sexual harassment complaint here) but in that subtle way. I'll explain - in the print room there is me. That's it - I'm employed as the sole reprographics technician for the high school. BUT we have a college campus on site, and their reprographics technician comes over in the afternoons to borrow a machine. He is not there to do high school stuff, only college stuff, although he's lovely and will help me out by doing small simple jobs if I'm swamped and he's less busy. Even so, staff should ask me for favours, not him. But this guy - even though he knows this - will still come into the room, and if the college guy is there go straight to him even if I'm sat on a chair reading because I have no work to do and for once am waiting for disorganised teachers like him. I might be over reacting, but I just take it as a huge snubb and hate it. But can I tell him to bugger off and use the system like everyone else? Can I hell as.
< /rant >
I'm too eager to please. This is why I prefer to work alone under my own command. At least then the only person jumping jobs up the queue is going to be me. And I am not afraid to beat me up...
Ciao
~*Ruth*~