Job woes

[StacyHayward]

So my new job at the bookstore is going pretty well. I love the woman who works the morning shift. She’s incredible. Her name is Deborah.

The owner can be frustrating. But I don’t dislike him. He just gets his priorities mixed up. He and the man they brought in to train me, tried to teach me the entire store in 26 hours!! It was a bit much!!

By the end of the week I was overwhelmed and my body was reacting by aggravating my MS symptoms. I actually went in the following Monday and tried to quit.

Wisely, Deborah, who’s worked with people with MS, said give it another week to see if less stress helps my ms symptoms. She told me to ignore the overwhelming training the men gave me and focus on one thing at a time, like selling the books. She’s wonderful.

So the last two weeks have been better. The problem I’m running into is by the weekend I’m physically exhausted and barely walking. My legs are incredibly numb all weekend. I’m having a great internal struggle of whether or not it’s worth it. Right now I’m taking it a week at a time,

So anyone have any words of advice?? When do I call it quits?? If this doesn’t work out I will need to try applying for disability.

Thanks everyone!

[jimeka]

Hi Stacy, if you enjoy the job and find it rewarding, stick it out for a little longer and just see if your ms improves with time. You always have disability to fall back on, but it’s not as rewarding as doing something you enjoy. Also you have the benefit of Deborah who understands ms. Let us know how you get on, blessings Jimeka 🤗

[StacyHayward in reply to jimeka]

The hard part is we are the only two employees. We overlap time for about an hour each day but other than that I’m on my own!! The only exception is if the owner pops in. And he’s such a whirlwind it’s not helpful.

[Humbrd]

My suggestion, Apply for disability now while you're still working and figuring it out. Approval could happen fast or it could take a while. So you may as well get prepared because it sounds like working full time is wearing you down too much and it's not worth it to your health. This was a job you were looking forward to and if they can't have you work half the amount of hours you may not be able to stay there. Go for the disability. Then work a couple hours here and there where you want or volunteer somewhere.

[StacyHayward in reply to Humbrd]

I’m not even doing full time. 3-7 Tuesday thru Friday and 10-4 on Saturdays.

[Humbrd in reply to StacyHayward]

Oh. Take care of yourself. Don't let this make it hard on yourself physically even though you really like the job. When you receive disability you're allowed to make so much per month so you may be able to keep working there part time.

[kris1973]

I’ve been disabled since 2014. I loved my job. I still have nightmares about not being able to do my job properly. Take it a day at a time-you will do fine I personally would try to work again-even if I failed. Whatever the outcome is-knowing that you tried to do it should boost your self-esteem🤗 -Kris

[erash]

I loved my job but quitting was such a relief. There were days in hindsight, when I was feeling better that I questioned my decision but it was the right thing to do. P.s. I still do work and volunteer but in jobs that I have more control over.

Do what’s best for you 🤗

[goatgal]

It sounds as if you are on your feet too much. Are there moments when you can sit to rest a bit? Perhaps a rollator with seat would do the trick?

[mrsmike9]

Sounds like goatgal and I are thinking similarly. Are you allowed to put a stool behind the counter? It seems crazy that there is only 1 person in the store working at a time! I have worked in a bookstore before and there was generally 3 people working at a time. There is more to just selling books in a bookstore. You have to put away stock, check and sort the shelves (they always get messed up by shoppers), so many things! Unless it's a super tiny store I can't imagine only having 1 person work!!

[StacyHayward in reply to mrsmike9]

It’s a very small used bookstore and yes, I’m expected to do everything. I haven’t mastered buying back books and pricing them, but I can do about everything else. I can sit when behind the counter, but I’m rarely back there unless I’m checking out a customer. As you said, there are so many other things that have to get done.

[mrsmike9 in reply to StacyHayward]

I suppose you can only do what you can and not stress yourself over the rest. Good luck.

[twooldcrows]

so sorry i also had tried to work but had the same problems ...will they let you work so every other day or a couple of days a week if you really want to stay there...it just didn't work for me either ...hope it does for you if this is what you want but the stress is sometimes just to much if the boss is the stress ...sorry about that is also what was my problem ...i just don't understand these type of people for i think they just think everyone is just really smart or pick it all up faster ...don't know just don't understand them we want to learn but they cause to much stress and it is hard to concentrate when they want to teach fast ...sorry i should end now ...good luck ....