my anxiety caused me to lose my job :((
I'm 18 and 3 months ago I started a weekend job as a waitress in a cafe working every Sunday. Originally I was on the rota as floor staff and I was told I would be taking orders but unfortunately I didn't get much of a chance because sometimes even though I'd been assigned an area of the cafe no one would sit in that area and other times some of the other staff would just do it for me without asking.
But one time when neither of the managers were there I was assigned the outside area and I feel like, although I was obviously nervous, I did pretty ok at taking people's orders.
But then after about 4/5 shifts I was changed to just being a floor runner and I was confused especially as the managers didn't actually talk to me about this they just did it without explaining. So then everytime I arrived to my shift they told me 'you'll just be running food today' and obviously I did as I was told.
But then a few weeks ago, no warning, I just stopped being put on the rota and nobody told me why. When I asked they actually lied about trade being slow but then when my mum went in for a coffee one day she happened to ask how I was doing and they said that they couldn't carry on paying me an adult wage when I am just running food, meaning they had to let me go.
This really upset me firstly because they didn't tell me directly and secondly because they hardly gave me a chance. But I was also upset because I feel like my anxiety really did not help with any of this. The problem was even though speaking to the customers I was anxious but I think I managed to mask it quite well (and they were always really nice), when it came to the other staff I was TERRIFIED. I couldn't talk to them at all and for some reason there were many times when I knew what to do but I was too scared to do it in case it was wrong even though I knew it was right. And lots of times I waited until the staff/managers weren't looking to print the bill etc because for some reason I was scared of what they might think even though it was what I was supposed to do. And basically I think they probably thought I was really stupid and didn't know how to do my job when in reality I knew exactly how to do my job I was just too scared to do it. And a couple of times when they asked 'do you know how to take orders' I stupidly said I didn't even though I did because I was so anxious in the moment. Also I would often ask questions on how to do stuff even though I knew how to do it because I wanted to make sure I was supposed to be doing it.
So now I'm just annoyed at myself because if I hadn't been so anxious about what the staff were thinking and maybe told them that I was actually capable of taking orders/interacted with them more overall I would have done my job so much better. But instead they just thought I was a total weirdo who couldn't take initiative and was a very slow learner when inside I knew exactly what to do. Does anyone else relate to this
(
But one time when neither of the managers were there I was assigned the outside area and I feel like, although I was obviously nervous, I did pretty ok at taking people's orders.
But then after about 4/5 shifts I was changed to just being a floor runner and I was confused especially as the managers didn't actually talk to me about this they just did it without explaining. So then everytime I arrived to my shift they told me 'you'll just be running food today' and obviously I did as I was told.
But then a few weeks ago, no warning, I just stopped being put on the rota and nobody told me why. When I asked they actually lied about trade being slow but then when my mum went in for a coffee one day she happened to ask how I was doing and they said that they couldn't carry on paying me an adult wage when I am just running food, meaning they had to let me go.
This really upset me firstly because they didn't tell me directly and secondly because they hardly gave me a chance. But I was also upset because I feel like my anxiety really did not help with any of this. The problem was even though speaking to the customers I was anxious but I think I managed to mask it quite well (and they were always really nice), when it came to the other staff I was TERRIFIED. I couldn't talk to them at all and for some reason there were many times when I knew what to do but I was too scared to do it in case it was wrong even though I knew it was right. And lots of times I waited until the staff/managers weren't looking to print the bill etc because for some reason I was scared of what they might think even though it was what I was supposed to do. And basically I think they probably thought I was really stupid and didn't know how to do my job when in reality I knew exactly how to do my job I was just too scared to do it. And a couple of times when they asked 'do you know how to take orders' I stupidly said I didn't even though I did because I was so anxious in the moment. Also I would often ask questions on how to do stuff even though I knew how to do it because I wanted to make sure I was supposed to be doing it.
So now I'm just annoyed at myself because if I hadn't been so anxious about what the staff were thinking and maybe told them that I was actually capable of taking orders/interacted with them more overall I would have done my job so much better. But instead they just thought I was a total weirdo who couldn't take initiative and was a very slow learner when inside I knew exactly what to do. Does anyone else relate to this
(
Original post by Anonymous
I'm 18 and 3 months ago I started a weekend job as a waitress in a cafe working every Sunday. Originally I was on the rota as floor staff and I was told I would be taking orders but unfortunately I didn't get much of a chance because sometimes even though I'd been assigned an area of the cafe no one would sit in that area and other times some of the other staff would just do it for me without asking.
But one time when neither of the managers were there I was assigned the outside area and I feel like, although I was obviously nervous, I did pretty ok at taking people's orders.
But then after about 4/5 shifts I was changed to just being a floor runner and I was confused especially as the managers didn't actually talk to me about this they just did it without explaining. So then everytime I arrived to my shift they told me 'you'll just be running food today' and obviously I did as I was told.
But then a few weeks ago, no warning, I just stopped being put on the rota and nobody told me why. When I asked they actually lied about trade being slow but then when my mum went in for a coffee one day she happened to ask how I was doing and they said that they couldn't carry on paying me an adult wage when I am just running food, meaning they had to let me go.
This really upset me firstly because they didn't tell me directly and secondly because they hardly gave me a chance. But I was also upset because I feel like my anxiety really did not help with any of this. The problem was even though speaking to the customers I was anxious but I think I managed to mask it quite well (and they were always really nice), when it came to the other staff I was TERRIFIED. I couldn't talk to them at all and for some reason there were many times when I knew what to do but I was too scared to do it in case it was wrong even though I knew it was right. And lots of times I waited until the staff/managers weren't looking to print the bill etc because for some reason I was scared of what they might think even though it was what I was supposed to do. And basically I think they probably thought I was really stupid and didn't know how to do my job when in reality I knew exactly how to do my job I was just too scared to do it. And a couple of times when they asked 'do you know how to take orders' I stupidly said I didn't even though I did because I was so anxious in the moment. Also I would often ask questions on how to do stuff even though I knew how to do it because I wanted to make sure I was supposed to be doing it.
So now I'm just annoyed at myself because if I hadn't been so anxious about what the staff were thinking and maybe told them that I was actually capable of taking orders/interacted with them more overall I would have done my job so much better. But instead they just thought I was a total weirdo who couldn't take initiative and was a very slow learner when inside I knew exactly what to do. Does anyone else relate to this(
But one time when neither of the managers were there I was assigned the outside area and I feel like, although I was obviously nervous, I did pretty ok at taking people's orders.
But then after about 4/5 shifts I was changed to just being a floor runner and I was confused especially as the managers didn't actually talk to me about this they just did it without explaining. So then everytime I arrived to my shift they told me 'you'll just be running food today' and obviously I did as I was told.
But then a few weeks ago, no warning, I just stopped being put on the rota and nobody told me why. When I asked they actually lied about trade being slow but then when my mum went in for a coffee one day she happened to ask how I was doing and they said that they couldn't carry on paying me an adult wage when I am just running food, meaning they had to let me go.
This really upset me firstly because they didn't tell me directly and secondly because they hardly gave me a chance. But I was also upset because I feel like my anxiety really did not help with any of this. The problem was even though speaking to the customers I was anxious but I think I managed to mask it quite well (and they were always really nice), when it came to the other staff I was TERRIFIED. I couldn't talk to them at all and for some reason there were many times when I knew what to do but I was too scared to do it in case it was wrong even though I knew it was right. And lots of times I waited until the staff/managers weren't looking to print the bill etc because for some reason I was scared of what they might think even though it was what I was supposed to do. And basically I think they probably thought I was really stupid and didn't know how to do my job when in reality I knew exactly how to do my job I was just too scared to do it. And a couple of times when they asked 'do you know how to take orders' I stupidly said I didn't even though I did because I was so anxious in the moment. Also I would often ask questions on how to do stuff even though I knew how to do it because I wanted to make sure I was supposed to be doing it.
So now I'm just annoyed at myself because if I hadn't been so anxious about what the staff were thinking and maybe told them that I was actually capable of taking orders/interacted with them more overall I would have done my job so much better. But instead they just thought I was a total weirdo who couldn't take initiative and was a very slow learner when inside I knew exactly what to do. Does anyone else relate to this
(It's a learning experience. Society expects you to be perfect at things and to just do it and it doesn't slow down for emotional or mental needs, barely physical needs. At least you're 18, you are just learning confidence and skills. Waitressing wasn't your career path was it? Who cares.
