Migraine

Just wanted to mention I'm in a bit of limbo. Work has really dropped off so instead of averaging 3 days pw I'm now averaging less than 1 day per week which is happening for the next 3 weeks and has been happening for the past 3 weeks. I'm yet to know if shifts in the future will be cancelled as well.

Anyhow my current job has suited me with part time uni and my migraines and other health problems.

So I'm wondering how long I should wait to really get into seeking out a new job but more finding that most job vacancies are fulltime. I'm targetting organisations which have flexible hours but still find flexible FT a struggle. So I'm tied between remaining and seeing what happens with a PT job that pays a good hourly/daily rate but also getting those applications in for FT jobs that will take a while to get to job offer stage so I'm not left in the lurch. I'm also feeling that having a few weeks with hardly any work will help with the migraine treatment as I'm still reaching optimal impact of my med (expected in 2 months)

Work has advised they hope work will pick up but there's various theories of why it has dropped some backing that it won't pick up for several months.

Any ideas or input.

Cheers DJ

DJ,
This is always a bit tricky. Looking for something else is a drawn out process. If you were to start now, while your current job is slow, interviewing and such would be less noticable to them. Job hunting while employed can be difficult in that respect. Also you can see if the 1-2 shifts a week is enough work, but stable, maybe you can look for somethinig at that level with an occasional extra shift.

I don't know your personal situation, but is the cut back in work maybe a blessing at this point as you get your med on track? When work does pick back up, you'll be ready to go again. This is especially true if you like what you do and who you are doing it with.

Take care DJ,
Cindy

Hi DJ -

I agree with Cindy, it is tricky. My experience looking for part-time work as a professional is that there aren't a lot of pt positions posted - mostly they come about through knowing someone. Don't know if that's the same in Aust as here. But if you can get by on what you're getting from the pt position now, and be looking at the same time, and use the time off for your health & well-being, this could be a great opportunity.

I find to balance multiple priorities I need to list what my priorities are (such as current work, job seeking, and well-being time) and actually block out time in my calendar for them. So if I follow my calendar I don't have to worry if I don't work on job seeking for today - I have a time block set aside for it. With the unpredictability of my migraines, etc, I have to make sure I have empty time blocks to move things into, as well. Hope that helps.

- Megan

Hi Cindy and Megan thanks for your great responses and good wishes.
Cindy I agree that it could be a blessing in disguise to not have as much work whilst trying to get migraines under control and whilst receiving treatment and the meds are still getting up to maximum effectiveness. And it does give me time to jobseek and attend IV's

Megan in Aust it is also hard to find professional reasonably paid part time work. So I've been applying for fulltime jobs with flexible hours too and by the end of Monday would have submitted 3 FT job applications and working on a 4th as soon as I get the info package I've requested via email.

It is most frustrating as 4 years ago I begged for treatment for my heart arrythmia from a specialist explaining the implications the related fatigue had in relation to work and how being in my 40's these were crucial years to be earning and building good experience. But the specialist refused treatment. At least with the migraines in Aust if you can get a neuro referral they will treat them, some of course better than others, but the main problem is that GP's don't believe in treatment and are reluctant to refer.

Anyhow as I'm studying occupational therapy at uni part time so won't be able to go on if I need to take a FT job or gain another PT job that I can't change hours according to study timetable I'll have time to chase up colleges to see if I can do a semester part time at night to gain a diploma given I would have studied a fair amount of the course. That would be more an option if I can find other PT work. I was finding PT study/PT work hard on the health but uni is only part year ie 2 X 13 weeks with a week off during that time so there's the holidays to recover.

Anyhow will keep up what I'm doing and see how things pan out at work.

Cheers and thanks again DJ