Engineer Andy's Journal: reality of work

i've started putting in lots of unpaid overtime (directive from boss)so that i can put an entire job into unpaid overtime. it's been a struggle, as i'm getting in to work well before anyone, leaving after anyone, and barely keeping my head above water with project work.

I'm hoping it is only for a month or so. I'm only into my second week and already my sleep is getting disturbed by working so late that my mind doesn't disconnect from work while asleep.

I'd not mind much if i got a little gratitude or thanks, or even just a little acknowledgment from anyone in the project team. I'm taking one for the team (inspecting concrete pours at 6am, lodging inspection reports before anyone else is in the office) and seemingly nobody notices or appreciates it.

Effectively i'd like to work on this project totally out of hours so i could put in the profitable hours when i am most productive, but this project generates about three crises a day, which HAVE to be resolved in that day. I have no idea if it is my causing that the crises pile up like that, but nobody comments on the tidyness of the solutions, or even that i've dropped everything to work on their particular crisis.

i make it a personal habit to be thankful when somebody helps me out, even when i'm stressed out and not in a happy space, but man it is hard going when you just get flack and you don't get much time to relax.

This too shall pass.