Miss my previous EA Role
I was serving as EA to a local leader for the last three years. The work was engaging, interesting, and I had incredible coworkers and influence within my community and the organization. I had a lot of responsibility and the capacity to make decisions. It really was fun. The organization even paid for a lot of specialized training too so it was really a win win for me.
However, it was taxing on my mental health and sanity. I would work long hours like 7am to 9 or 10pm, take calls from my boss into the evenings, travel a fair bit and more. Overall it was incredible career experience (I am 26 years old) but I felt overworked and underpaid.
My situation changed a bit this year. I got married and moved out of my parent's place. My priorities have shifted a fair amount.
Two months ago, a new opportunity opened up literally down the street from my office and I decided to try for it. This would be EA to a local public sector executive. I wasn't too serious about taking it even though the pay was a bit more but they seemed to really like me because even when I declined their job offer, they came back with more pay. They also highlighted a plan to move me into a manager role next year - which I can only believe once it happens. I decided to take the job strictly for the pay and maybe less work load. Even if I don't get the manager job next year, I'm still making a significant amount more.
I've been in the job for two months now. It's been pretty good; friendly coworkers, some convoluted processes that I have worked to improve, and overall much less stress and workload. My boss trusts me and overall things are good. There is a team of EAs here that I get along with fairly well.
The issue now is that I am bored as hell. I finish my work in like 30 minutes and am bored out of my mind the rest of the day. I come in for 9, go home for a 1 hour lunch (but I often take a bit longer), come back and sit around until 5pm. It truly has been a mind numbingly boring experience. I try to stay busy but there's only so much I can do. I kind of worry about asking for more work because I have done that before and I am bad at saying no! One of my regrets at my previous organization was never saying no to more work. I was fresh out of university and didn't guard my time very well. I ask myself if I made the right decision to change jobs or not but I don't really know. Maybe things will pick up but at the moment it's kind of depressing.
End of rant. Would love to hear some other similar experiences!