Back to work after Christmas anxiety

[NE21 worrier]

Hello everyone,

It may be a New Year but I'm facing familiar waves of anxiety regarding the post-festive return to work.

I went back to work yesterday despite a really tight chest and stomach and I have woken up with a similar feeling today. It really feels as if a 10tonne weight sits right on top of my chest and it's only the fact that I have had this feeling before which is preventing outright panic.

Part of the anxiety relates to the fact that I have been placed straight back on a line of business on which I was trained just recently (before Christmas), and even then I only took a few calls before being switched back to my original line of business.

I am aware from overhearing other colleagues that I am not the only one with concerns and there is some support from floorwalkers (not much from managers, mind you - but that is a different issue). We have to meet customer demand and this is where most of the calls are, though - so any chance of going back to the original line of business would just be met with the standard "business needs" response.

I know I should not speculate like this but I can only see the situation getting worse as we near the deadline on 31-Jan as people are unlikely to be happy if they need their activation pin sent through the post which can take seven days.

I am beginning to struggle to cope now and I'm worrying about going back over a tipping point which kept me off work for two months last year between April and June following a similar change of duties.

Thanks for reading. Any advice is much appreciated :)
Peter

[Rennie1989]

Firstly, speak to your manager about the working conditions, especially that you are not alone. If they won't listen then take it higher.

There is no point working in a place that makes you unhappy. In the mean time why don't you look for a new job, or get a different position in your current job that is not so taxing on your health.