Saving My Sanity With A Day Off

Happy Wednesday !

It is a bit of a happier morning than my Monday post indicated Monday was going to be. I explained this is Phone-Hell week on my job, the week after bills go out and our client's call in with all of their issues. We get calls all month long, but this second week of the month is the heaviest volume of calls, therefore, Phone-Hell week. 😂 😟

I have gotten where I take a vacation day on Wednesday on this second week of every month now to save my sanity. I do have to burn one of my vacation days to do it, but I get 31 paid days a year to take off when I want too or use if I am sick and I decided it was a valid way to use some of them.

The days I am working though, I try to surround myself with happy things that I can glance at now and then while I'm on hold or when I need to zone out for a minute to regroup my brain... a quick mini break of sorts.

For this winter I gathered a collection of snowman paintings I have. This little group sits on the left side of my work desk. The only one in the photo below that is my own artwork is the snowman on the far right.... you know.... the GREEN snowman. 😂 (Listen and you can hear my 88 year old mother say thoughtfully "I've never seen a green snowman before, but somehow I kind of like it")

The little wooden snowman on the bottom left was part of a prize package I got when I did in-store modeling one time many years back when I lived in San Antonio, Texas. It was at my favorite clothes store. I've told that story before and "modeling" makes it sound much more... posh .. .than it actually was, but that's what they called it. I made off like a bandit for doing it though with a few little prizes and lots of new clothes. All these years later, this little snowman is my token reminder of that day.

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Above the desk are a few more from my snowman painting collection. None of these are my work. I think I did a blog before with these in it. I know I did one with the big center photo of three snowmen by the fire. Not sure about the other two.

Whimsical and abstract... my favorite kinds.

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All of these help add some HAPPY to my work desk corner. We have to get some "happy" however we can, don't we?

I don't normally use my Vaca/Keep My Sanity Wednesdays for chores, but since I didn't do any last weekend, I will be spending my morning doing a few of those. Already a load of washed clothes is spinning and about ready to go in the dryer, some clingy toilet bowl cleaner is doing it's job in the toilet and I am about to go load the dishwasher. Not fun... but necessary. A couple hours should make it close to right and then I will have the afternoon for .... something... I don't know what yet, but I can figure that out while I am doing the chores.

I hope you are doing well and that your heart is happy.

Luv ya !

Jacey

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Oh they are the cutest! I love that the snowman that you have on the left has a story attached to it, that's so cool and holds nice memories.

Maybe I should also decorate my desk like this - although I'm hoping to leave this job relatively soon so maybe it can wait until I have something more "me".

Gosh chores - I know all about it. I've got to go do the dishes at some point today as well.
Have a great WedsneStay Your Sanity day 🦋

It's funny how an object can have such a sentimental value and bring back a flood of memories of a fun event from the past. I ponder sometimes how it's only great value is to me and to anyone else it would only be exactly what it is, a random snowman figure.

It is one advantage for me now that I am working at home, I can have anything and as much of everything gathered around me to help bring some "happy" to my work space. I did have a couple of small things at my work desk for years before covid when I had to go into the office to work, but it would have never been allowed to have a lot there. I like a lot ! The companies may not get it, but I think it really helps to have some happy things in your work space no matter where it is you do your work. A happy employee is a more productive employee.

The chores never end except while you are ignoring them. LOL !

Thank you and thanks for coming over.

I absolutely agree, a couple of personal items make it a "feel at home" place which is important.

It's definitely not just a random snowman ☃️

😁

I just did the dishes and am glad that's out of the way for the day. Now onto the next chore lol.

Have a good one Jacey 🦋

The snowmen around the fire is a fun one! I really like the two with the heart. What an amazing collection you have!

I love that one too ! Ironically fun as it doesn't seem their bellies are melting nor their stick hands catching fire. A snowman.... made of snow.... trying to stay warm???

I didn't quite realize I had this many till I started gathering them to my desk for a change to some winter decor. I have painted more myself but some of them belong to other people now and one more I still have I don't like that much ! That's bad when you don't like your own painting....LOL !

Manually curated by EwkaW from the @qurator Team. Keep up the good work!

Thank you ! I appreciate your very kind support. 💚

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I read your title and it sort of spoke to me...I have been thinking about taking a day off work, something I have not done for a long time, because I feel I need it. Sure, I get my weekends, but there's something a little decadent about a day off in the week that one gets paid for.

I was talking to the State Manager (my direct up-chain) and he said to do it; he said take a few if I wanted. As you may recall I work in trucking and the industry is brutal and notoriously meat-grinderish...It was good to know my day off paradigm was supported and encouraged.

I was considering taking annual leave (vacation days) to do it but I think will use my sick leave accrued...it's easy enough to get a doctors certificate being diabetic and all. I mention the word stress and he askes if I want a month off.

I'll take a day and enjoy it, then it'll be out of my system.

Also, I like what you do with your desk/workspace/room. That sort of thing goes a long way towards keeping attitude and productivity up. I do the same with photos and things. No snowman though, they're rather out of place in the oven that is Australia in summer. Lol.

Be well.

I had already noticed it had been more than a day since you posted (or if you did, the Hive wasn't letting me see it) and I had wondered if you were taking a short moment to breath.

I'm glad your management folks quickly showed you they were good with it. Good leaders usually are. Better that you not burn out your prize sales folks if you want them to keep up the good job and be happy while they are doing it.

Our vacation and sick leave are in the same pool of days and unfortunately we can't accumulate them. If we don't take them all in one year we can lose them. We can carry over 40 hours, but it must be taken before the middle of the following year and then you still need to take the rest of them before the end.... or do the same thing over. I always try to take all but two of mine, leaving just the 2 unscheduled till the end, just in case of surprises. I actually WANT to take them all. I love being off and still being paid for it. I will NEVER give one back... oh no... not me !

I do think it is good for me to keep happy things around my desk as like you say, it helps with my attitude and my good attitude keeps my productivity at it's best. I don't do the snowmen when it is summer here either, more flowers and trees and painted houses in the evenings with fireflies. The more I change it around for the seasons, the more art I get to buy too ! Any excuse will do !

..and Be Well sentiments back at you !

Oh, that's interesting about your sick days and annual leave!

Here, annual leave days roll over and accrue. For a full-time employee there's four weeks total, so if one took none for three years they'd have sixteen weeks accrued. It gets paid out if the employee leaves the company, but with no leave loading.

(A leave loading of 17% is usually paid on top of one's annual leave pay with most companies.)

With sick pay there's ten days annually and they accrue also, year on year, although are not paid our on leaving the company.

I like our system better than yours.

I'm not taking a work break, am at work now writing this, but I'll take a day or so I'm the near future I think. The lack of posting is because I prioritised my real life over Hive, as everyone should do.

Be well sentiments received. Lol.