Dream Job

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.