Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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doomed, depressive, hopeless SFM???? (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by stirringthecoffeepot
i don't know if i'm looking for advice, or validation, or just shared experience but this is my sbux promotion/mental health story lol:
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i got promoted to an SFM (like SSV) during quarantine basically, started actually training and working as a shift in july, so like, 4 months ago. i worked for 6 weeks, and i didn't really get that comfortable in the position. and THEN i had to go on a mental health LOA because i've been having the worst depressive episode of my life (as a chronically depressed person....) and i had to do a partial hospitalization program to... u know... keep myself safe. so i'm not coming from a super great place to begin with
so fast forward, i'm in a significantly better place than a few months ago and i'm back to work. i'm also still pretty below my baseline depression i'm....really still very not ok honestly (catch my DBT skills? ;)). I've been back to work for about 2 weeks, and i still feel incredibly incompetent as a shift. i'm constantly overwhelmed, and i'm also just feeling genuinely hopeless and like i should just demote myself or get another job.
my store has also recently been super unstable -- the best manager i've ever had was taken from my store (thanks corporate) and replaced with a clueless outside hire that doesn't take criticism and just is ..... really creating an awful store environment. i'm very clearly bad at my job and i just feel like i'm not cut out to be a shift. i can't tell if i genuinely can't do the job, if i'm being too hard on myself, or if it's just bad timing
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insight? similar experiences? other baristas/shifts with mental illness affecting work? (please...?)
​
i got promoted to an SFM (like SSV) during quarantine basically, started actually training and working as a shift in july, so like, 4 months ago. i worked for 6 weeks, and i didn't really get that comfortable in the position. and THEN i had to go on a mental health LOA because i've been having the worst depressive episode of my life (as a chronically depressed person....) and i had to do a partial hospitalization program to... u know... keep myself safe. so i'm not coming from a super great place to begin with
so fast forward, i'm in a significantly better place than a few months ago and i'm back to work. i'm also still pretty below my baseline depression i'm....really still very not ok honestly (catch my DBT skills? ;)). I've been back to work for about 2 weeks, and i still feel incredibly incompetent as a shift. i'm constantly overwhelmed, and i'm also just feeling genuinely hopeless and like i should just demote myself or get another job.
my store has also recently been super unstable -- the best manager i've ever had was taken from my store (thanks corporate) and replaced with a clueless outside hire that doesn't take criticism and just is ..... really creating an awful store environment. i'm very clearly bad at my job and i just feel like i'm not cut out to be a shift. i can't tell if i genuinely can't do the job, if i'm being too hard on myself, or if it's just bad timing
​
insight? similar experiences? other baristas/shifts with mental illness affecting work? (please...?)
flaudew 2 points 2y ago
The store manager can really make or break a work environment. Mine is about 50% of the reason I didn't go for the SSV position she wanted me to (the other 50% being that I was completely certain I'd be The Worst at it and would be stressed all the time and it wouldn't be worth the pay raise). My mental health has been pretty all over the place these last few years, too, so I think I can understand a little bit about how you're feeling.
I really thought I wouldn't even be able to handle being a barista, but after a few months of slinging drinks (and unnecessarily beating myself up for every. single. miniscule. mistake), I finally got the hang of it. Mostly. I'm still far from perfect but I finally feel competent enough that I don't leave every shift convinced that I should quit. There's a good chance it's a combination of bad timing and you being way too hard on yourself. In another month or two you could be rockin' and rollin' as SSV.
That said, there is absolutely no shame in stepping down. None at all. The most important thing--and I cannot stress this enough--is to do whatever you need to right now that will help you continue to survive. Your mental health comes first, Numero Uno, no exceptions, full stop. Do whatever it is that will keep you around to fight another day.
I really thought I wouldn't even be able to handle being a barista, but after a few months of slinging drinks (and unnecessarily beating myself up for every. single. miniscule. mistake), I finally got the hang of it. Mostly. I'm still far from perfect but I finally feel competent enough that I don't leave every shift convinced that I should quit. There's a good chance it's a combination of bad timing and you being way too hard on yourself. In another month or two you could be rockin' and rollin' as SSV.
That said, there is absolutely no shame in stepping down. None at all. The most important thing--and I cannot stress this enough--is to do whatever you need to right now that will help you continue to survive. Your mental health comes first, Numero Uno, no exceptions, full stop. Do whatever it is that will keep you around to fight another day.
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