I need a bit of Venting

[HiddenMica]

I have been working 70 hours for the past month and the only reason I'm getting a day off is because my state mandates no retail store be open for thanksgiving. Even so I'm still working Black Friday for 15 hours between the three jobs I have. I know it's because I need a car I'm working so much but hell I'm just so stressed from working so much even though I like my jobs.

I haven't been sleeping so well, likely from the amount of caffeine I've been in need of to stay awake, and the stress has been giving me some very horrid nightmares, to the point where I'm actually going and getting my gun license from the fear they have been putting me in. I don't care if it's just a dream when I wake up shaking and crying and can't make it go away because I'm still afraid at the end of the day, there are steps needed to be taken. My boy friend has been working almost as much as me but he works opposite shifts from me so I haven't seen him in a week and he's working on Thanksgiving so I still won't get to see him to get a bit of support and comfort to get rid of my stress...

If my car wasn't dying I wouldn't be working so much but it is, so I am, and by the hells I want the promotion at one of the jobs so I'm trying my best... :head hits desk: I feel like I am going to cry now so I'm going to take a shot of what ever hard liquor I can get down (I don't drink) without spitting it out and go to sleep.

[Akasa]

I'm sorry. I know what those dreams are like. In 2000 I had a dream that sent me into a nervous breakdown for 3 days of non stop crying and shaking. I was hospitalized due to it. Don't let that happen to you. Take a hot bath, drink some cocoa, cuddle with a dog or teddy bear and if you keep having sleep deprivation call your doctor. If it gets bad you'll be in the hospital for several days at least.

[Can I Help Your A$$?]

I hope you take this stress seriously. This kind of stress is obviously making you physically ill. There have been numerous studies about stress leading to all kinds of illnesses, including high blood pressure, heart disease and even diabetes.

Don't underestimate how valuable downtime is, for your physical health. That downtime translates to dollars when a health problem suddenly requires all that money you've been working for. I know of which I speak. I thought I was doing myself good by working long hours to support myself. Unfortunately I ended up broke and in debt paying for what my high-stress position and hours did to me.

Mental health days are not an excuse. They are a necessity. I wish I never had that guilt complex that made me drive myself so hard. You only have one life.

[Cooper]

My father is a workaholic. A few hours after he got second degree burns from a jetskii exploding while he was on it, he went back to work. Due to this, I've been determined I will not become him.

I've worked 70 hour weeks before. I know how much it sucks. But, rules to remember to keep you sane:

1 hour a day of doing something fun. Video games, tv watching, reading a book. Whatever.

Know your sleep cycles. This has saved me time and time again. Not getting enough of the right sleep will help in driving you nuts. You sleep in 90 minute cycles. I take about a half hour to go to sleep on an average night, so I plan for: 120 minutes first cycle, 90 minutes each cycle after.

You can usually find calculators online, that can tell you what times are optimal to have fallen asleep by from the time you have to be awake.

Laughter is a huuuge thing. I also make time every day for multiple sites that make me laugh, usually right before I go to bed.

Some good written examples: Gravekeeper on here, not always right/working, passive aggressive notes, cracked, dear girls above me, ect.

These last two are a bit of a stretch, but bear with me.

If you can, pets are good. Even something as small as a hamster. Petting animals lowers blood pressure and stress, and they tend to get you to smile.

Meditation. It's part of the 4 hour work-week. Meditation doesn't just have to be the sort of 'clear your thoughts' thing. Last year, I was lucky enough to have my high school offer ceramics all year around. Working on the wheel is one of the most meditative things I've done. I'd lose hours at that wheel.

Now, I'll be honest. I didn't do all this stuff working the same hours you did. I wish I had, but I didn't. At the very minimum, I always made time for laughter and relaxation.

Hope this all helps!

[HiddenMica]

My kitty helps lots, she's the only thing even keeping me partially sane and while I laugh at work, I'm still at work. I'm just tired and always so damn tired it hurts. It wouldn't be so bad if I could get cuddles from the boy friend as well, I think then I could handle it. The computer time I've been trying to get but with how tired I always am it's hard. I did splurge and get a new computer game (Assassin's Creed 3) but now I feel guilty for spending the money. Eh. I will at the very least enjoy playing it. So long as I don't think about the money involved. The mass amount of chocolate chip cookies I've been eating has been helping my mood as well. The place next to where I work has cookies to die for that are the size of my hand and only a buck.

On a bad note, I was so hungry today because it was too busy for me to get a break I hadn't eaten all day(15 hours between both jobs and it was super busy at both with no break in between them), I forgot to put my car in park and had it in neutral and hit a customers car while on a pizza delivery. Only left a scratch, she didn't want any info beside my phone number. She said if her husband doesn't notice she doesn't care. Gods I hope he doesn't notice.

Good note, she still gave me a tip, and the next customer who caught a very shaken up and nervous Mica, gave me a 15 dollar tip and a bottle of water to get something in my system.

Black Friday is looking to be worse. 7:30am I leave the house, I'll get home around 11:30pm that night. Again, no break between the two jobs but I'm fairly sure at least one of them will give me a meal break. This still sucks.

[Food Lady]

I'm so sorry you're going through this. I feel you; I'm trying not to drive my car because it needs a $1000 repair in order to be safe, and I have no credit. I have had to work 60 to 70 hrs a week, and my head was spinning, along with the nightmares. Melatonin helps me tremendously in getting to sleep despite the caffeine. I take no more than 1.5 mg, as more will actually give me nightmares. As soon as you have the money you need, can you take time off?

[Gizmo]

Mica: you need to start having emergency food in your car - a snack bar or something!

[HiddenMica]

I can take back my normal Sundays off once I get the new car, I just need to get my credit cards paid off and get the down payment all set. Need about 5 grand all together for both to be able to get the car I really want. As for the emergency food that's an awesome idea. If winter wasn't coming I'd keep a apple or some fruit but it will probably be freezing everything soon. Lol. I'll figure out something. I got through the night without a problem and came home, ate half my dinner (it was cold because we got out late) and fell asleep with my bf for once while he was surfing the net on the laptop. The turkey will take care of the melatonin for the night I think. lol. My mom always cooks way too much so I'm going to take home all her left overs since no one eats them at her house.

Black Friday is looking like a 16 hour day if you include travel time, I'll see how I fare on that. Thankfully I know the restaurant one will be SUPER slow but the retail one is going to be omg busy and I know I'm a runner for that shift so I'm going to be fetching everything from the back room where we keep the expensive stuff for the holiday. I will have my soda and cookie when I walk through that door though. I'm thinking about bringing food for the rest of the coworkers but haven't decided what yet since it needs to be finger available. Probably doughnuts. I know they will have been there since open so I'm going to try and bring something for everyone.

[ArcticChicken]

Cliff bars, especially the high protein ones, are what my cousin uses. He's a UPS driver and he carries them with him for the days when he's too busy to stop and get a snack.

[HiddenMica]

Update, buying a car on Sunday. Didn't get as much saved as I wanted and still have the other bills not paid off but I'm fairly sure that damned car isn't going to last another week, the muffler is officially not attached at all and just for show out the back. >_>

On a good note, got an awesome deal under the kelly blue book value and it's certified. They also said they promise to give me 500 for the falling apart one.

[Tama]

I wouldn't trust that until they actually give you 500 until they actually do it but you sound like you have faith in them, so...

I guess for parts you might do good there, what do you plan to do with the 500? Or is this with a dealership and they're taking it in credit towards the new car?

[HiddenMica]

All said and done got car, payments a bit higher than I thought it would be but that's because I got a lowjack installed as well as the extra protection package because I know I will dent and scratch the thing. lol Even so, New car. WOOO! :super omg spazzy hyper: Bf says he's surprised I haven't vibrated into the next dimension in excitement. Yes. I am that spazzy today and my face hurts from smiling too much. XD