I am contemplating this idea that so many women have that working from home is the ultimate dream job. Having the best of both worlds, not having to choose between career and family, somehow preventing the pull in so many directions felt by today’s moms.
I got up at 4 to work. I saw no other option with needing to cancel child care today again with a new hacking cough piercing the air, and my inability to stay awake anymore at 11 p.m. where I was erroneously trying to process paperwork – registration forms, liability releases, payments and updating class lists from a pool of 51 registrants.
I have been working almost full-time getting this class up and going since January. This makes no sense to me. I had to take time to write. Who really works at this time anyway. Perhaps on paper I can sort it out.
It is the multifaceted roles and responsibilities that makes owning your own business so time consuming I believe. I have just as many departments as any corporation but there is just me. Just me for:
CEO - Executive Decision-making and oversight
VP, Administration – (yes the VP and CEO in me have disagreements about what programs to offer when)
Office Administration
Customer Service
Marketing
Media Communications
Shipping and Receiving
Inventory Management
Purchasing
Market Analyst
Research and Development
Program Design and Implementation
Accounting
Records
Secretarial
Graphic Design
Web Design and upkeep
Supervisor of any contractors actually hired to help with any of those things…
And EMAIL! Shall we call this Client Communications? Instead of complaining should I admit I’d be on the phone 24/7 if it didn’t exist?! Each time I show up at the coffee shop for one of two-hour stints of child-free work I have such grand plans. “I’m going to update my website today.” “I’m going to update the interval training program with the new industry guidelines.” “I’m going to get a client newsletter out.” But my inbox has a different agenda. Yes occasionally the need to accomplish something is desperate enough I keep the internet off – but the fact remains that timely client communication is one of my most important tasks. 2 hours of answering emails, and my time’s up. I long for the chance to get proactive instead of reactive.
Recently with my running class registrations I suffered this to an extreme. There would always be a point where I was almost caught up with the most important emails halfway through my coffee shop time. I was almost giddy when I hit send on that last email response… when my inbox greeted me with another. And another. Again I have to attempt to make sense of this. How many emails went back and forth between myself and each participant? Participation level, class preference, submitting registration form, asking questions about the program, asking more questions about the program, arranging payment, setting body comp appointments, getting shirt sizes/preferences, taking RSVPS for our charity night, requests to switch classes, considering requests for discount services (a new element of business in today’s economy?), arranging barters with those who can’t pay…(I heard govt. will tax on this soon)…
Yes, I believe there were more than 20 emails in/out for each participant. I need to count not only the “out” with the work of gathering info, finding attachments, etc., but the “in” since each involved updating paperwork – class lists, business records, shirt requests… So with 51 participants and a few more that ended up not joining… this was well over 1000 emails. This does not include hundreds more between myself and the media, logo apparel companies to find a shirt, and web designers because I’ve been finally ready to give up this responsibility and acquire a more professional site. I would bet there were no less than 1500 emails involved in getting this class going. And people have asked me “what do these women pay for.” I am pulling in thousands. But I don’t even make minimum wage.
So Why? It is my passion. I love what I do. I don't like not being able to "leave work at work"... but watch for my "work hours" blog coming soon. I have good intentions to make major changes here to be more available to my family - the original goal.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
My baby is 2!
Today I drive around with hubcaps in the van. Kav wants to know why I took the tires off. I'm just proud I managed to get them off and air in the flat tires by myself, and wasn't about to try to put them back on. I had caused enough of a traffic jam at the gas station being in the way of the car wash line.
Today I take time out to write. My baby's 2nd birthday just doesn't seem to lend itself to workaholism. We thought maybe when he turned two he would no longer be called "baby Kai." But I think that will have to wait until 3.
Despite the many facets of Kai that make him still so much a baby he is also very much a 2 year old! He loves to do the opposite he is told while flashing a devious grin, running away and giggling. He loves to be the "house clown" and just looks for ways to make us all laugh. He has some unique facial expressions that are just priceless and I have yet to capture them on film (I mean on megapixels.) His latest feat and source of worry is climbing up onto the tall kitchen table via the tall chairs! I watch kids older than him that can't get up them.
Kai has a 3-word sentence "I want down," and the average vocabulary of a 2-year-old. He probably has 50 words he just doesn't pronounce them the best, choosing to fore go any consonants after the first letter. Today when we left Kari's house after she watched the boys he did better when he said "bye Henry" (He-ree) and it was so cute.
Yesterday was the 2 year well-check where we discovered Kai is anemic. I'm actually wondering if he wasn't last time he was tested and wonder if this got missed a whole year ago. We start iron drops now and I personally believe iron deficiency is not a common cause of anemia as iron is so easily absorbed from foods. Therefore I am once again convicted I have to try a gluten-free diet soon as I have suspected a possible wheat intolerance before and this can also be an underlying cause of the low Hemoglobin. Iron for now, please!
Kai will also have the growth hormone stim test next week, now that the state will pay for it. And it's a good thing we have that funding - if he needs growth hormone it costs over a thousand dollars a month!!!!! Why can't I just give him factory milk from commercial cows? Ha.
You can be in prayers for our misery as we hang out with Kai in a hospital for 5 hours after he has fasted overnight and cannot have any food or drink other than water before noon. This is Thurs the 29th starting at 7 a.m. I think.
Kavan is having quite the moody spell. We are very concerned that the child who was the easiest for so long is suddenly lashing out at the past lack of attention. He'll seek it out any way he can get it now. I wish I had more positive things to share about Kav. Check back soon. Actually, what is positive is our decision to add one full day of day care for the boys. I need to finally be SURE I have enough child care to reduce my stress level and the recent overwhelm. I want to be fully present in the time I am with my kids; lately I haven't been there for them in the way I had planned as a stay-at-home mom.
Kaylin is just full of the most random thoughts and conversations.
"When fog comes out of our mouth that means our words are freezing."
After explaining that not everywhere we drive is Forest Lake, and in a one mile stretch we were driving from Centerville, to Lino Lakes, to Hugo. "Is Disneyland in Hugo?"
I hated to disappoint her but she didn't seem surprised. "Oh! I know, Disneyland is in the world."
As she looks in her closet trying to figure out what to wear: "(sigh) I am just so stressed out."
(hence the reason something needs to change around here with child care.)
When asked if she knows who Barack Obama is? "I voted for him once."
Today I take time out to write. My baby's 2nd birthday just doesn't seem to lend itself to workaholism. We thought maybe when he turned two he would no longer be called "baby Kai." But I think that will have to wait until 3.
Despite the many facets of Kai that make him still so much a baby he is also very much a 2 year old! He loves to do the opposite he is told while flashing a devious grin, running away and giggling. He loves to be the "house clown" and just looks for ways to make us all laugh. He has some unique facial expressions that are just priceless and I have yet to capture them on film (I mean on megapixels.) His latest feat and source of worry is climbing up onto the tall kitchen table via the tall chairs! I watch kids older than him that can't get up them.
Kai has a 3-word sentence "I want down," and the average vocabulary of a 2-year-old. He probably has 50 words he just doesn't pronounce them the best, choosing to fore go any consonants after the first letter. Today when we left Kari's house after she watched the boys he did better when he said "bye Henry" (He-ree) and it was so cute.
Yesterday was the 2 year well-check where we discovered Kai is anemic. I'm actually wondering if he wasn't last time he was tested and wonder if this got missed a whole year ago. We start iron drops now and I personally believe iron deficiency is not a common cause of anemia as iron is so easily absorbed from foods. Therefore I am once again convicted I have to try a gluten-free diet soon as I have suspected a possible wheat intolerance before and this can also be an underlying cause of the low Hemoglobin. Iron for now, please!
Kai will also have the growth hormone stim test next week, now that the state will pay for it. And it's a good thing we have that funding - if he needs growth hormone it costs over a thousand dollars a month!!!!! Why can't I just give him factory milk from commercial cows? Ha.
You can be in prayers for our misery as we hang out with Kai in a hospital for 5 hours after he has fasted overnight and cannot have any food or drink other than water before noon. This is Thurs the 29th starting at 7 a.m. I think.
Kavan is having quite the moody spell. We are very concerned that the child who was the easiest for so long is suddenly lashing out at the past lack of attention. He'll seek it out any way he can get it now. I wish I had more positive things to share about Kav. Check back soon. Actually, what is positive is our decision to add one full day of day care for the boys. I need to finally be SURE I have enough child care to reduce my stress level and the recent overwhelm. I want to be fully present in the time I am with my kids; lately I haven't been there for them in the way I had planned as a stay-at-home mom.
Kaylin is just full of the most random thoughts and conversations.
"When fog comes out of our mouth that means our words are freezing."
After explaining that not everywhere we drive is Forest Lake, and in a one mile stretch we were driving from Centerville, to Lino Lakes, to Hugo. "Is Disneyland in Hugo?"
I hated to disappoint her but she didn't seem surprised. "Oh! I know, Disneyland is in the world."
As she looks in her closet trying to figure out what to wear: "(sigh) I am just so stressed out."
(hence the reason something needs to change around here with child care.)
When asked if she knows who Barack Obama is? "I voted for him once."
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
.JPG)
