OCD Action

thelazypick
Member

Okay, this has nothing to do with OCD but I really need to vent it out because I feel like I'm dying, with alot of regrets.

I recently quit my job as a civil servant for a sales job at a bookstore (bad move).

Today's my first day at work and I'm regretting it already.

My initial impression of the job was that it involved promoting books to customers, which I'm rather interested in (love books), as well as some cashiering and shelving. However, I found out today that apart from those duties, I have to do the accounts as well, and stock taking.

I hate Math. The accounts part is just, making me sick. And it's a major part of the job.

I was thinking of leaving the job tomorrow.

But I'm really scared that I'd seem really pathetic to stay on a job for only a day. After all, I've already told all my friends about this job and how excited I was about it. I'm such a Fail!

I was thinking of quitting and not telling anyone about it and just pretend to be employed.

But that'll probably be another wrong decision I'll be making.

Sorry for ranting and complaining. And thanks, for reading.

Mon May 16 2011 13:39:33 #
nettlenoo
Member

Hello lazypick im sorry things arent great but dont throw in the towel just yet its all new and change is difficult when anxiety or ocd are a problem. atleast try it till you can find another job to do but you never know this job you be brilliant for you. could you use a calculater for the math side of things? also giving up your job and pretending you still have one will just make your anxieties worse hun, i will say well done for having a job at all i dont work and find the idea too much right now so im hoping i can too get back to working. plus your not ranting or complaining hun i hope you feel better after a good nights sleep and start afresh tomorrow xx

Mon May 16 2011 18:33:58 #
Ratwomble
Member

Give it a chance. I remember a job that for the first few months I thought was the biggest mistake of my life ended up being the best time I ever had!

I think that we all have to do some things in work that we don't want to, but maybe the rest will make up for it.

And congrats for getting out of the Civil Service! I was there a long time ago and never regret leaving!!

David

Mon May 16 2011 22:10:21 #
Tess
Member

Hi everyone
I've had two Civil Service jobs and looking back I have to agree with David, they were both very controlled by red tape and I don't remember having any fun in either of them and the offices were dark and dreary.
Lazypick, your new employer obviously saw potential in you or you would not have been offered the job, and jobs are in demand so there would have been competition for it. If you give up now you will not be doing yourself any favours, your self confidence and self esteem will go through the floor especially if you start lying to your friends and such a brief period of employment may make it more difficult for you to get another job. You have much more to gain by hanging on in there and sticking it out until you can make an informed decision and not one based on fear that you are going to fail.
You presumably manage your own finances, pay your bills and decide how to spend your money, doing the accounts for a shop is just doing the same thing on a bit larger scale and you may find it a lot easier than you expect - and you won't be expected to do it without training and supervision to start with.
My advice is to hang on in there and show your employer what you CAN do, not what you can't. If you're absolutely convinced the job is not for you then you can just treat it as a stop gap while you look for another and use the job to get yourself a good reference and widen your experience.

Tue May 17 2011 8:46:44 #
Maxthedog
Member

I work in a charity shop at the weekends, and I do mostly sorting cds into usable and unusable, and then putting them on the shelves, taking down the ones 4 weeks old. I do the same with books. I don't promote. Stock taking doesn't sound like a lot of fun, but it could be like school, where you get subjects you like and don't like, and just look forward to the bits you enjoy until you find a better job or get used to it.

Hope this helped,
Andrew

Tue May 17 2011 9:17:12 #
mattwords
Member

Every job has good and bad elements no job is perfect. At least you're working which is more than I'm up to at the moment. They will train you on things like the accounts and give you more support if needed. There might be another member of staff that prefers doing that to the promotional stuff, colleagues are there for a reason. Don't jack it in yet give it a fair amount of time, say a month and see how you feel then.

Tue May 17 2011 12:41:11 #
thelazypick
Member

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the replies.

I've decided to give this job maybe a couple of weeks before deciding whether to quit or not.

Yesterday was my 3rd day at work and my first time doing the accounts all by myself. I took a really long time doing it - OCD wants me to check the cash in the cash register over and over again, but I still managed to tally the accounts in the end.

I felt a sense of achievement at the end of the day. But my friend, Pessimism, says, "nothing good is going to happen to you so if things are going well something bad is going to happen".

I was the last to leave the store last night and had to do the locking up. I was worried the entire night wondering if I had locked the shutters and if anyone's going to sneak in and steal the cash register or something. I know I've locked the store and done all the necessary, but I still felt unsure.

Anyway, I was texting my colleague from the Civil Service and thinking back, if given a choice, I wouldn't want to go back there again!

Thu May 19 2011 2:42:21 #
Ratwomble
Member

Pessimism isn't your friend!

Well done doing the accounts and locking up. Keep doing them and eventually it will get easier.

Glad that you are enjoying your job a little.

Have you had the chance to recommend any good books yet?

D

Thu May 19 2011 5:40:10 #
Tess
Member

Hi lazypick
I'm really pleased you have decided to give the new job a bit longer before making any big decisions and just want to say a huge well done for doing the accounts and locking up on your own. That's a lot of responsibility after such a short time and you should give yourself a big pat on the back.

Thu May 19 2011 9:00:15 #
thelazypick
Member

Hi everyone,

Turns out I did not give someone a discount yesterday and my boss shot an email over saying that it wasn't very good even though there are alot of things to learn.

I was really upset because I really didn't know about the discount that's going on. In fact, I don't know about most of the ongoing discounts and promotions.

I have a telemarketing job offer and I don't know if I should go over. They pay much higher but I heard telemarketing is probably one of the toughest jobs on earth.

At this rate I'm going, I bet I'll never be able to settle down. This is my 3rd job already, not counting the other jobs as flyer distributor, factory worker, private tutor, childcare teacher, and my internship.

I cry!

Thu May 19 2011 14:28:44 #