I have a dilemma. I have a full-time job at a boarding kennel, but it stresses me out. I have a part-time job at an equestrian center, which I love, but currently I make less per hour. However, I get commission on my lessons and trails. So usually I make a lot more there. That's my Saturday job. I also have a position as a personal assistant that pays significantly more than the other two, but hours for that one are very limited. It seems pretty straightforward that I should cut down at the kennel and increase hours with the other two, but it's not that simple.
The kennel is currently really short-staffed, and working there for three years causes one to become very attached to all of the regular animals. Leaving means I have no clue how those animals are doing and no ability to increase their quality of life, even if for only a few days. The Boss is quite the control freak, so animals aside, it's difficult working there at times because changes are never made when suggested, and having so few staff members means I can't just call in sick or ask for another day off. Not without a large blowup, anyway. Currently I work five days a week at the kennel, Saturdays at the barn, and I have one day off, and I do odd jobs here and there for my PA position. Did I mention the hours at the kennel absolutely suck? If I open, I might be off by 5pm, but usually it's more like 6. If I close, I sleep in a little bit, come in at 10, and leave after 7pm. Neither shift allows me to accomplish anything before or after work.
My biggest issue with this setup is being constantly exhausted, to the point where I come home and crash, so half the time I am fishing laundry out of the hamper because I don't have the time or patience to put it away, my house is a pigsty because cleaning requires energy and time I don't have, and my diet is hardly short of shit. I am beyond out of shape, which sucks because I could use my dance degree if I could get my body back, and I could seriously use that outlet for emotional release, but I don't have time or energy to work out.
I would like to cut back at the kennel and increase other sources of income, but I don't know how to talk to Boss about it. We currently have one of two boarding managers on her way out, the other girl who does everything I do is taking her position (I'm supposed to be the third but not yet), and another boarding employee is training for reception as well. So is there room for me to not be there? No. The second current boarding manager wants to leave too, so that's not helping anything. Staying until I get a raise with management might sound good, but I've already been told my pay will cap pretty soon, and this place is so small there's no chance of moving up beyond that, plus I don't want to work my life away for the rest of time. Will I get an opportunity as a manager if I'm part-time? Who knows. Will Boss allow my to drop hours any time soon? Doubtful. What will happen for sure, though, is she'll be pissed at me, and the place isn't big enough for us to avoid each other much.
So what do I do? How do I discuss any of this with Boss? What really sucks is we're coming up on the holidays, which means the kennel will be super busy and every employee will be needed as much as possible. I love holiday pay as much as anyone else, but I'm kind of sick of missing out on all the family gatherings because of work. Also, this has been plaguing me for months now, and one time I was so exhausted I overslept my shift by 4 hours, at which point a coworker walked into my bedroom to wake me up, but I didn't even recognize her when I woke up. That was scary, and hasn't happened since, but I tend to pull all-nighters now before I open to make sure I can be at work before 7am. I can't do this forever. I just don't know how to get out of the situation.
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