I work full time at a grocery store. I show up, do what’s asked of me, make sure the product is good quality, treat customers with respect, and work decently hard for at least 75% of the time.
I’m not lazy. I get my work done. But I’m not emotionally invested, and I have no desire to go above and beyond for a job that sees me as replaceable. I was offered a promotion recently, but the raise was only $1 more an hour. I turned it down because:
- That raise is laughable for the extra responsibility they wanted to dump on me.
- I know myself, I simply don’t care enough to manage or lead other people.
I don’t care about delegating to part-timers. I don’t care about store numbers. I don’t care what my coworkers are doing. If someone takes an extra-long break? Don’t care. If they call out and I’m left alone? Don’t care.
And I know this might be an unpopular opinion, but even if someone half-asses something and it ends up making more work for me, it still doesn’t bother me. The way I see it, I’m here for 8 hours either way. I’ll go at my own pace, do what I can, and if something doesn’t get finished, that’s not my problem.
I’m also tired of how you walk into a job and everyone’s got pet peeves or weird OCDs about how things have to be done and these aren’t even managers or leads. Just regular workers like me acting like they’re running the place. Meanwhile, I don’t have an issue with anyone or anything. I’m not trying to police people.
I’ll also never understand why people get so mad over what someone else chooses to do with their life. It’s like they’re offended that someone dared to prioritize themselves. Who cares? A coworker recently got all worked up because someone requested a Saturday off and wasn’t there to help us when it was really busy, so we were short-handed. And I’m sitting there thinking, “Good for her! Why don’t you request a Saturday off too and enjoy your life like she is?”
In my mind whether we are fully staffed or understaffed I'm paid the same. I'm not going faster or slower. Is that so wrong?
Don’t get me wrong I totally understand if you’re someone trying to move up in the company. You’ve got to play the game, kiss a little ass, stay extra sharp. I get that. But the people I see getting the most emotionally invested aren’t even trying to move up.
This job gives us money so we can survive (barely, for some). But that doesn’t mean this job is our life. Why is that such a hard concept for people to grasp?
I’m here to make money so I can fund what I actually want to do with my life. Like my passion, my career, the thing that actually gives me purpose. So all this petty shit most of these people removed about? At the end of the day, it truly isn’t that big of a deal.
I know I’m ironically complaining here and being just like them but this has just been on my mind. People stress themselves out over jobs and the people they work with way too much. Especially considering how little the job (or those people) care about you back.
For me, it’s about choosing peace over pointless stress. And this isn’t me saying you should slack off or be a shitty worker...but for God’s sake, have some dignity and don’t let these people (management OR co workers) make you feel bad for having it.
Anyone else relate? Or maybe feel the need to vent.
Edit: Also wanted to add, TAKE YOUR BREAKS.
I think it's good that it exists. I've often bemoaned that there's no easy way to find software projects, so people keep re-implementing them. Maybe having more/better lists and indexes simply of "what already exists", lots of duplicated effort could be spared, which would be better for everyone.