My job is a mish-mash of stuff for a program that helps preschoolers with disabilities. My former title was Data Analyst. When more stuff got stacked on top of that due to staff reductions necessitated by budget cuts, my title changed to an Intake Serve Coordinator (I don't really know why the word "intake" was put is in there; I coordinate services from intake all the way to exiting). I do both jobs, plus other random stuff tacked on over time. Everybody in my office needs to do the work of 2-3 people.

1 - Get in between 7 and 8:30. Answer emails, return phone calls, get interrupted by people who were waiting for me to get in. Get annoyed by people.

2 - Work on whatever latest crisis has developed already. Fix it. This really is almost a daily occurrence. It's just too many things need to be done without enough funding to keep equipment in working order or hire enough staff.

3 - Take an unofficial break. Even if it's just a walk around the building. I know I have a lot more I need to do, and I need to relax a bit if I'm going to do it well. It's just 5-10 minutes.

4 - The rest of the day involves data analysis, meetings, researching stuff, getting people to do their jobs, getting data I need for more analyses, creating new database queries, juggling situations to make sure we don't break legal regulations, dealing with complains from all of that, and, occasionally, resisting the urge to strangle people. I used to be the first person answering our main phone line (we can't afford a secretary, so we divide those sorts of tasks between everybody in the office), but that was recently removed from me. I only do it if the other person isn't in the office that day.

I have to flexible with everything because each day is a little different.

5 - Leave. My job description says that I work 7.5 hours a day. In reality, I work 9-11 hours a day, and I'm usually still answering emails and taking calls on my personal phone at home in the evening (my job can't afford to pay for a work cell for me). Unless I have a lunch meeting, I don't have time to take a lunch break. I have made 2 exceptions in the past 6 months: a co-worker's 60th birthday celebration and a somebody's going away party (didn't lose her job, she just got a really great transfer opportunity). I usually just bring in stuff to eat at my desk.

I make a living wage and I believe in the work we're doing. I also work with people who work fantastically hard and we all support each other. However, I'm looking to go back to school in the near future. Incessant budget cuts are making the job almost impossible to do, but we're still told we're too expensive and need to find way to cut costs. I'll be training for a job that isn't 100% at the mercy of government funding but can hopefully still make the world a little bit better of a place.