Multi-Tasking

Sometimes managers are funny people. They have these days where they just think you should be doing more work-no matter how much you're currently doing. It's just something built into a manager's body structure, I suppose.

Like today, for instance. There were two of us at the front desk. Our front desk responsibilities include: answering phones, swiping member cards, answering member questions, taking care of any transactions, and directing possible new members to the sales office. I suppose because there were two of us at the front desk it seems like the work should be doubled. So, next thing we know, on top of answering phones and swiping cards and taking transactions, etc., etc., we're given 400 envelopes to be stuffed and sent out by the end of the day. Wha? We only have so many appendages. And of the four we do have, we are limited at to what we can do with our feet. Nevertheless, we stuffed all 400 envelopes. It becomes mindless after a while and you're multi-tasking times twenty. Answering phones/stuffing envelopes. Swiping cards/stuffing envelopes. Taking transactions/stuffing envelopes/wiping the counter/fixing the register tape/stuffing the envelopes.

And, by the end of the day, the task is done, but so is the damage. It's ingrained in your mind. You take it home with you. So, you're sitting at a table folding papers. Your eyes bugged out and bloodshot. Sweat collecting on your brow. And your girlfriend sets her hand gently on your shoulder and says, "Honey, It's okay. You don't need to fold the pages of the newspaper." And all you can mumble is, "Won't fit envelope. Must tri-fold." There's nothing you can do. Perhaps you'll sleep it off, but one day maybe you won't. Who's to say where it starts and where it ends?

Ah, work.

Sometimes I wish all my job entailed was waking up, reaching for a block of cheese, peeing in a cup, and sleeping again. But, what kind job offers that kind of stability? Oh yeah, a lab rat.