Less Hustle More Coffee

Good morning! Just a little pop in before getting ready and heading out. Yesterday I was able to start the next process early enough to be able to get all four payrolls closed in the same day. Record timing. I’m trying to figure out how I was able to do that so I can do that again.

1. I think my push for everyone to get their stuff in on time helped.
2. Letting them know when they are late with PTO’s and changes and how it holds up the payroll process. (They would still be sending PTO forms on pay day for pay day if you allowed it, lol).
3. Being able to juggle back and forth in part of process. (There is a part of PR that if there are problems it has to be fixed by the plants so I do that part first and get those correction requests out so they can be fixed right away. Then I go on to other parts. That is a big help right there. So I juggle a bit through that part to make it go fast and I think that helps a lot.)
4. Start the process early in the day regardless if plants are through or not. And just work through the process and reprint people’s info where someone has made changes after I printed the main printout. I’m trying to chastise those that make changes after the fact and gently let them know that is a no no.
5. I’m getting more familiar with the process, more at ease, and therefore I’m sure it’s getting quicker.
6. Yesterday two of the plants hardly had any vacations and two of the plants don’t have garns for me to figure during the PR process anymore, which saves oodles of time.
7. I did the big elephant plant first since they seemed to have done a good job this week getting things in early.
8. No emergencies this week – As opposed to last week when we were begging for someone’s new hire information to even be put in the system on a Tuesday morning while I’m supposed to be closing her down. <—-That kinda stuff just makes me flat angry.
9. Everyone did their part this week. If one doesn’t it holds it all back.

Someone asked me if I liked my new job better than the old one. My answer:

OH HELL YES! Sorry for the accentuated presence there, but that should describe it in a nut shell.

Giving respect to others I will decline to list all the reasons for not wanting to be in the old position any more, but to list a few:

It became too much for just two people to handle 4 plants, transport company a corporate office and all the sales folks. Too much responsibility, too much of a risk for me at this point in my life, too stressful, too demanding from too many people across the states and at all levels, not being able to work on things that needed to be done. No day planned was ever worked. It was always overthrown. And I could go on and list many many many many many many many many many many other reasons but I’ll never put those here. 😉

Most of it was the position of HR itself, part of it was just me needing to not do this career anymore. Yeah things like compensation and communication and yada yada could be thrown in, but at this point in my life I was just burned out and over it. You couldn’t pay me enough to do HR again now that I am out. I am elated to be away from it.

I am disappointed that the career itself let me down but at the same time I am so glad to get away from it because of the person who I am. I have a very different value that I bring (brought) to an HR Department because of my detailed skills and follow up and my ability to adhere to responsibility for the HR department and company. But in reality, most companies do not even realize how much detail work there is to an HR department across all the different facets. So many areas of responsibility now in an HR role. At least I took each one seriously and carefully began building upon each one. It became harder and harder to put the same thoroughness into each facet. I needed more help. I was burned out. I needed a change. In another nut shell, “it just wasn’t working for me anymore and my persona”.

I have to feel like I’m making a difference each day and that I what I do is accomplishing something. I like to see something started come to a close. I like to be in a positive environment and not to be in a “fight or flight” environment all day. I have to feel accomplishment, not defeat. Did I say I need to be in a positive environment. There were too many “oh craps” all day long. And when this Payroll/Tax Paying position came open, and me realizing how much I’ve enjoyed doing payroll in the past, I decided to apply for it. I really wanted to take benefits but I realized the payroll position was a lot more of accounting in paying taxes as I pay federal taxes, withholding taxes by state, do the quarter end filings and year end filings, and do a lot of reconciliations at end of quarter – so it was too much to take benefits with me. I am very glad to let the benefits go because there was probably half the week going toward that front most weeks. Now that I am in the new role, I can feel the stress coming off in layers. I like knowing that I will be able to do what I planned to do each day. And I am very happy in the position. The new position is very busy though. It does have it’s down sides, like some days I don’t even get to take a lunch and the hours are very long and you can have some surprises on pay day when a plant forgets to turn in something. But I love what I’m doing. And I am very thankful and feel very blessed by God to have heard my prayers, seen my tears, listened to my heart, and provided a way out of that stressful situation. I think my family is very grateful as well. I feel like I can live life now.

So thanks for asking.

And I have my to do list which has about 22 things on it. So the personal life is kicking into gear. I spent some time in my home office last night just writing it all down and gathering all my notes.

I do need to prioritize it though b/c I just did good getting it all on one paper. More about that later.

Best get going. I have to leave early today (don’t worry I have many hours in the bank) to go to the dentist to be seen about a tooth issue. I will have to go back to have it fixed, as I asked for a late appointment so there could be more appointments. They are closed on Friday’s and didn’t have anything on Thurs afternoons which would work best for me.

Anyway, we’ll see what happens with that. Ya’ll be good!