I recently started a new job after a challenging period in my career. I had been working in a high-paying remote position for three years, but due to layoffs, I transitioned to a contract role for another year. Eventually, I had to force my company to lay me off with severance because they were making questionable changes to my hours and projects. After four months of job hunting, I landed a remote contract gig, which I held for about 2.5 months before accepting a full-time in-office position. Just as I was getting settled in, I received devastating news: my cat was diagnosed with cancer. Shortly after that, I started my new job and was hopeful it would provide me with the flexibility I needed to care for my pet. However, on June 11th, just two weeks into the role, my father passed away unexpectedly. My company offers five days of bereavement leave and has a flexible PTO policy, but I felt uncomfortable taking more time off so soon after starting. Now, I’m realizing that I should have taken 2-3 weeks instead. The workload is heavier than I anticipated, and I find myself working late to keep up with new assignments, all while grappling with my grief. I feel overwhelmed and burnt out for the first time in my career, and I had a panic attack this morning. I’m torn about whether to speak with my manager about my situation. I don’t want to be judged for struggling, but I know I need support. I’m considering my options and wondering if I should reach out for help or just try to power through this tough time.
Loading comments…
Comments