Taking Time Out
Posted: Mon 25 June, 2007 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: 1BEM, Domestic, Getting Organised, Own Business, Work-related |1 Comment »Last week, in a post I’d written where I kind-of-incidentally mentioned my current workload, Gordon commented that I really need to take some time out at some point. And you know what? He’s right, I do need to. It’s more about try to find the time to do so.
Last week, the average day went something like this :
- 5.30/5.45 – Wake up
- 6.30 – Leave house
- 6.50 – Train to Cambridge. Work on train, doing website for Client #2
- 7.50 – Get to Cambridge. Walk to Office (Client #1)
- 8.05 – Start working. Always for Client #1, but possibly with some work for Client #2 thrown in as well
- 13.45 – Remember that I really should have some lunch at some point
- 14.00 – Grab a sandwich from the local place. (In fairness, going at 2pm means it’s at least quiet)
- 14.30 – Back to work
- 15.45 – Leave Office, head back to train
- 16.10 – Train leaves Cambridge. Work on train, doing website for Client #2
- 17.10 – Get back to Attleborough
- 17.45/18.00 – Get back to work – either for Client #2 , or doing stuff on the house using a bloody great tile-cutter
- 21.00 – Eat something
- 21.30 or so – Take Hound out for a walk
- 22.30 or so – Get sent to bed by Hound
- Sleep badly
- Repeat as required
Admittedly, this month is a bit more manic than most – Client #2 is working on a tight schedule, which is extra ressure I really could’ve done without. But it won’t be for long, and then (hopefully) it’ll calm down a bit. (Mind you, I’m not holding my breath on that one)
And yes, some of it is self-inflicted, in that I’ve taken on a lot of work at the same time. (And there’s still Client #3 waiting in the wings, although thankfully they’ve gone quiet over the last couple of weeks while they get other stuff sorted) But also it’s necessary, while Herself is between jobs – although we’ve now got confirmation that she starts her new job on 9th July, which will take some of the pressure off. As it is, I’m currently getting paid for 5 days a week with Client #1, and 2.5 days a week for Client #2. Which works out as – ah – 7.5 working days per week. Oops. (Yes, I know that technically it only works out as 60 hours a week, which gives me another 108 to do other stuff in)
And when you couple the workload I’ve got with the additional fun of the domestic bits, that’s when it gets stressy. Mind you, if Herself were still working for The Bunch Of Twunts, we’d be doing a lot more house stuff in the evenings and weekends, and I’d be (even more) dead on my feet than I currently am.
The art of saying “NO” is not something I’m particularly good at, and like you, when I’m busy I’m VERY busy, and when I’m not .. I’m just busy. But I use my jogging as ‘me’ time. And occasionally grab.. shock! an HOUR for lunch.. and go somewhere quiet and read a book. Not often but enough to keep me sane.