Good Saturday morning! I hope everyone is having a nice weekend, particularly those who don’t have to work. If you have a regular 9-5, you shouldn’t be working today, right? Then again…
I was reading the paper (it’s become a habit now, since I did my challenge) and was struck by an article in the entertainment section about Jared Leto and his loss of 30+ pounds for the sake of his role in the upcoming movie, “Dallas Buyers Club.” You can see his picture here. It’s really quite shocking.
Reading this lead me to think about what we do for our jobs. Sure there are some of us who flatly refuse to wander outside our job description, but at some point I think we’ve all been in a position where we’ve gone above and beyond the call of duty for what we do for a living. Some of us do it all the time.
My own job, as a stay-at-home mom is 24/7. You might say being on call all the time IS part of my job description, and it is. But at the same time, I didn’t go into it with the expectation that I was going to be in it alone.
His Majesty, for whom I slave night and day
And speaking of my ex, over the last ten years he has been working at a few different retail chains as manager. Budgets in these places always seem to be a concern, according to him, and he is constantly having to work overtime so as not to tax the budget by having to pay employees – he is on salary.
I’d be interested to hear what you do that is ‘above and beyond.’ Come on, toot your own horn. After all, it’s rare that we get any appreciation from all we do, isn’t it?
lindaghill.com 
November 3, 2013 at 1:24 am
I wish I could toot my own horn, claim I’ve done some awesome above-and-beyond work, but I’d be lying. Granted, my office mates might think I have now and then, but I’m lucky to work in an environment where I’m generally appreciated, even to the point of a recent promotion (something very hard to get in state government work). Once upon a time I was more willing to work late hours or on weekends to move a project along. But now in my mid-fifties, I have become more protective of my free time, time I would rather spend writing or knitting than running more programming code at my office. I now leave the “going above-and-beyond” to the younger, more energetic staff 🙂
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November 2, 2013 at 11:06 pm
I’m the Executive Project Manager at the hospital where I work– one of my projects was renovating an old house from the 1920s.. It was great fun getting to spend someone else’s money on refinishing hardwood floors and redoing crownmolding and picking out all new furniture. Very glamorous. What was not so glamorous was when it got down to the last day and our housekeeper sliced her finger open and couldn’t work– so I was in a dress on hands and knees scrubbing the fridge and stocking the upstairs bathrooms with toilet paper. So above and beyond 😉
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November 2, 2013 at 5:26 pm
I work in the disability sector that is reliant on government funding and money from parents. If we need to do something and not claim the time for it, then we do.
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November 2, 2013 at 8:15 pm
THAT is selfless work. I hope you do get plenty of appreciation for it!
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November 2, 2013 at 4:37 pm
I worked in a school library until March. In my free time I did lots of other things for the school (the website, the school year book, was even the judge on Pet Day…) Did 10 to 15 hours extra a week – silly me. I asked for some money for doing the website and keeping it updated. I overheard the Principal say: “If the idiot wants to get paid we might as well pay to get it done professionally”. He hauled me into his office and tore strips off me. I resigned because of his bullying. Two semesters later, they can’t afford to pay to have the website done professionally because the principal is paying his wife to do the year book, and they couldn’t find a judge for Pet Day! I’m trying not to secretly enjoy it.
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November 2, 2013 at 8:14 pm
Incredible. Personally I would enjoy it and not so secretly either. But then I’m wicked that way. 🙂
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November 2, 2013 at 12:35 pm
They also serve who stay at home. OMG I hate it when people say OH! ahe doesn’t work sh looks after her children…………. I know you know so I am not going to justify it!!!!!!
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November 2, 2013 at 2:52 pm
If they’re young enough I smile and think ‘You just wait.’ Haha!
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November 2, 2013 at 2:53 pm
Great answer xxx
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November 2, 2013 at 2:55 pm
🙂
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November 2, 2013 at 11:56 am
I’ve done the above and beyond stuff a lot. Not sure what I do there as an indie author though. For previous jobs, I found that the appreciation and reward is dependent on the environment and boss. I had a retail job where I did extra hours, learned as much as I could, and helped think up promotions. I was rewarded by my bonus with occasional lunches, praise, and just a happy work environment. Then, I had an office job where my extra oomph was taken advantage of. I became the expendable work horse that could always use a few rough smacks to keep moving.
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November 2, 2013 at 11:59 am
The appreciation sure makes a difference. Too bad it’s so rare in the area of writing… but then again maybe it’s different when you’re published. A good review can go a long way I imagine. 🙂
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November 2, 2013 at 12:06 pm
Good reviews and compliments go a long way. I think it’s better than office work though. Personal experience has taught me that in an office, one can get in trouble or fired for the mistakes of someone else. At least if I fail in publishing, it’s all on me.
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November 2, 2013 at 12:08 pm
True, true. I’ve been fired over gossip in an office.
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November 2, 2013 at 12:10 pm
I was let go once because my new boss misunderstood my job, handed all my responsibilities to other people, and then constantly complained that I never did anything.
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November 2, 2013 at 12:13 pm
Wow. Whether you got fired or quit, that’s … wow. So he essentially reorganized and made you obsolete.
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November 2, 2013 at 12:15 pm
Actually, it was a she who was hired as my boss the same day I started. I get the feeling she didn’t like me from the beginning. She would have personal conversations with my co-workers, but snap at me if I talked about anything non-work related.
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November 2, 2013 at 12:29 pm
Isn’t that the kind of environment that really makes you want to get up early for work? Not.
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November 2, 2013 at 1:01 pm
I think the panic attacks were the best part of the benefit package. 😉
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November 2, 2013 at 2:54 pm
Oooh yes! Can’t buy that kind of thrill in a store!
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November 2, 2013 at 12:11 pm
Actually, I quit that job. Sorry about that. I left when I realized I wasn’t going to be going anywhere.
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November 2, 2013 at 11:51 am
I was a retail store manager, then district manager, in my former life. I would never go back to that. The hours sucked, and your ex is right, you end up working inhumane hours to keep the budget in check.
I still work ungodly hours, but somehow it is different. I love my job and I work seemingly around the clock. But when I take time off, I really do take time off. This weekend is one of those weekends when I am doing NOTHING!!!!!
I hope you and His Majesty have a great weekend!
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November 2, 2013 at 11:56 am
Thanks. 🙂 I’m just NaNoing my ass off while he’s quiet.
It’s great that you enjoy your job enough that you don’t mind the extra work. Everyone should have a job like that! 🙂 It’s kinda like writing is for me, I guess, except I don’t get paid. 😛
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