Working Like A Dog -- The New Normal?

It feels as though one of us in my department has said, "Yeah, we'll be back to normal tomorrow" every day this week.  And we're not, at least not yet.  I will say that yesterday, while we had a full day and we had heads of steam in order to get done, not only did we get done, but I had time to finish my training modules at the end of the day.

That may be a sign that the forms are starting to abate and we're, uh, "catching up."  But there are signs that we are not.  During work yesterday, I was asked if I could come in today.  I said yes because I'm a glutton for punishment -- well, that and I want to make money in this rare instance of my company allowing overtime.  The earliest I can come in probably will be around noon.  But I can do a full workday because we are behind on our second priority, namely the second-priority forms.  I don't know if I can sit and scan through form after form after form for eight hours, so I might bail early.  But I don't know the next time I'll be able to rack up the hours like I already am this week.

Meanwhile, one of our bosses asked us through e-mail if we could be ready to work Monday.  I already work Mondays, but she didn't want a repeat of last Monday, where she was scrambling to find enough people to handle the crush of work that came in.  And she's anticipating without knowing what exactly is coming in from the airport.  Maybe things are going to be done tomorrow.  But if not, and if I get asked to put in a whole day even on Sunday ... well then, I think it's logical to ask if we are going to be like this for the foreseeable future.

If so, great!  I can key to my heart's content, I can listen to the radio all day, and I don't have to beg for someone to let me into the laboratory.  I just wish that I could be given a head's-up if this truly is The New Normal.  Tell me straight up that I don't have to take off Friday afternoon, and I can adjust.  Right now, I'm just raking in the money while trying to thwart carpal tunnel syndrome.