It's hard to
be in business and be a Mum
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| My former work life - the only thing that's the same is the no. of coffees! |
Anna and I have a system, it's not
perfect and really neither of us keeps to it but we're in the early
stages so we're trying to stick to it. You see – we're supposed to
work 4 days on and 4 days off. So I'm supposed to switch off for the
4 days Anna is rota'd on and visa versa. This includes Saturday as a
work day. We have a pretty spreadsheet to track our days, a holiday
system and an IOU days system. It's all very organised but doesn't
take into account one fatal flaw. Anna and I.
Neither of us switch off on our rota'd off days, OK so we don't blog, Facebook or watch the sales inbox but we
both work those days in our own separate ways... Anna will do more
press work and I'll do more website stuff. Each day, every day. It
comes with the territory of starting a new business, you just don't
switch off.
I'm actually writing this blog at
11.30pm on a Sunday, Daddy DayCare is watching some movie by himself
while I tippy tappy at the laptop. He'll come and find me every now
and then to see if I need anything [aka 'have you finished yet?!']
and then he'll pop back to his movie for a while. Needless to say
he's been a little neglected for a while.
He's not the only one. While I still
keep 100% of my attention on my daughter, I do find myself watching
my iPhone far too often – sorry to say at least once a week I'll
look up and she'll have her head cocked to once side and will have
emitted a 'eee?' noise. Heartbreaking. I'm more than happy to put the
phone down, if the laptop is on and I can hear the email 'bing' for
those all important sales emails.
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| All weather gear |
Just to quantify things a little for
those that don't know me, I am very much a Mummy. My Daughter and I
spend hours a day playing, we spend time gardening, reading, playing
ball, swimming and being outside. Both of us have waterproof trousers
and jackets so that we can play in all weathers and we often do! But
we have our indoors moments as well, which is when I fall into the
temptation of working and turn to the technology.
So I'm trying to keep a life work
balance, it's hard but it'll be worth it, as long as I have managed
the balance just right!
The result of all this hard work is the website http://www.unikgifts.co.uk and the lovely products you find there.
[Please note DangerBaby and I are meeting Anna & The Naughty later today to walk around RHS Wisley - the kind of work life balance I like!]
I do my admin etc on a laptop so I can sit by the fire in evening on the opposite sofa to my hubby whilst he watches Transformers 2 or one of the Bourne Trilogy again. He gets to watch trash without me moaning, I get to sit by the cosy fire, one of us will make the occasional cup of tea and we'll chat during the adverts...maybe. He doesn't feel neglected (they are worse than kids for that) and I get my work done. Everyone's happy. If I go out to the studio in the evening I get the same ..." are you finished yet?" If I'm not on the computer in the evening I'm either hand quilting or scribbling in my sketchbook. Work never ends because my work is what I love to do.... a self funding hobby....
ReplyDeleteYour husband and mine have such similar tastes in movies. I've moved my laptop to the breakfast bar so that I can at least nod in the right places [the adverts] and make him a G&T if he feels too unloved. I love being busy, as the devil makes work for idle hands! So if I'm not tippy tappy-ing I'm knitting!
ReplyDeleteSarah.....we just have to face facts...we don't sit still very well and we like to multi-task a little too much!! AND we are both as bad as each other! But more days like today in the gorgeous October sun are a MUST!! A x
ReplyDeletep.s thank you patient daddies too!
‘A (wo) man grows most tired while standing still.’ ~Chinese proverb
ReplyDeleteSo, so true :) x
Very true!
ReplyDelete