So Ive been back to work going on 4 weeks now, and Ive had a lot of people ask me how its has been going, so I figured I would write about it.
**Side note**
For those who dont know, I work in Group Life Insurance. You know those little handbooks you get that explain your benefits to you but that you probably didnt read (Dental Insurance, Life Insurance) well I make those, and the main Contract that your Employer keeps.
First off, going back was super annoying.
When its 10am and I am sitting in the lunchroom eating my snack, with my work clothes on, dont ask me if Im back.
Of course Im back.
I didnt break in, wearing nice clothes and high heels, to eat my yogurt in a building full of people I dont know(and the rest I barely like!).
Use your head.
Also, its no coincident that over a period of 9 months I got increasingly plumper and rounder and then suddenly I was gone.
I did not get fired for getting too fat, and then they suddenly rehired me back about a year later.
Again, use your head.
Now that THATS out of the way, lets get started!
Going back was also about as hard as I thought it would be.
I cried 3 different times the 1st day. I didnt think I would miss him that much. Ive been without him overnight a few times now, so going to work was going to be easy, right?
I had no problem leaving him, I knew HE would be fine, but it was the fact that I couldnt just go pick him up, or talk to him, or kiss him that sucked.
It took DAYS to get all of my systems back up and running, and took 2 fricken weeks for me to even get a phone and another week to get my number working properly again.
Super great customer service skills!
And speaking of systems...
I was testing a new system for about 6 months before I went on Mat Leave, and during my time off the new system went into production and everyone starting using it.
Testing a system is completely different than actually functionally using it.
Found this out the hard way as well.
I went back to work really cocky.
Meaning, I thought I remembered a lot of stuff.
I also helps that I work with Mark, so he would always come home and tell me about the different updates that we were doing to this new system, so I felt like I had an inside advantage.
Long story short when I got back to work I was told I was not going to be using the new system until after our big rush time of January, and that I would be in the old system.
WOHOO! I thought.
I know that system like the back of my hand.
Well, turns out that was a lie, and I was thrown out to sink or swim.
I have a really big problem of not asking for help, and my work has a really big problem of not offering help.
I have spent DAYS going through 2364 emails (yup, thats how many emails I had received in my year off), looking through different job aides and asking questions, but I am just not retaining this information!
While I do love a challenge at my job(I hate sitting around doing nothing), i consider a challenge to be making a non swimmer swim to the end of the deep pool and back on his first try, not plopping him in the Atlantic Ocean and making him find his way back to dry land.
Toe-May-Toe.
Toe-Mah-Toe.
As well as a new system, I also have a new Manager.
When I left we had a Manager(who has since got promoted twice) and a Team Lead (aka Supervisor).
My Team Lead was awesome to talk to, got things done, and kept me running smoothly.
She went on Mat Leave about a month before I did, and decided to stay at home with her little girl (jealous!) so thats something else that has also changed.
Our new Manager came from a different area, Annuities (American RRSP's) and doesnt have an extensive Group Life Insurance back round.
This means I have to rely heavily on my coworkers who are busy doing their own work, and dont have time to be my teacher.
So for me, all of that has been a challenge...no wait....headache.
Something else that is very different for me is the "friendships".
People that were attached like Siamese Twins are not speaking, and others who talked endlessly about each other behind their backs are going to lunch together.
I swore I graduated high school waaaay back in 2002?
I think I am going to keep to myself, and not get wrapped up in the drama and potential BS.
I am not a chick who has a problem sitting by myself eating my lunch!
Outside of work has also been hectic.
On Mondays we bowl so we feed Carter supper and thats it. I sneak into his room and kiss him goodnight when we get home around 10 and its bed time.
Tuesdays and Thursdays I go to Step Class at the gym at suppertime.
This means I pick Carter up after work(ish) and spend about an hour or so with him at home, and by the time I get home from the gym and inhale some supper, its his bed time.
I work at 6am so most times when I see Carter in the morning hes screaming his face off cuz he is up way too early and is tired.
Lately he has been better about sleeping, so on any given Tuesday/Thursday I see him for 2 hrs.
And just cuz he's in bed doesnt mean my day ends.
Theres still lunches to pack, dishes to wash, toys to clean up, you name it!
By the time 8pm rolls around Im exhausted, my feet hurt and I just want to read a book and lights out by 930.
I feel like these 4 weeks have been so slow at work, but so fast when I get home.
It will be Christmas before we know it, then busy time hits at work.
I will be at work from darkness in the morning till darkness at night.
I'll be lucky if some days I even get to see him.
I dont know how people with 2 kids do it!
I cannot picture us having another any time soon, its so tiring!
So there you have it!
Going back sucks, but I have bills to pay and Im not the first working Mom, so I know its possible!
