The Balancing Act
Today was one of those days when I failed to finish all the tasks I had on my list. I just got back to the office after being gone for a couple of days, and the mail was piled up, insurance needed to be filed, a class is happening tomorrow that I needed to set up, cleaning needed to be done…I really wanted to chuck it all and get a massage but my staff was all booked up with real clients and no one left to take care of me. I had a pity party about it for a few minutes and then I had to snap out of it and get down to the job(s) at hand.
I’m a childless person (except for Smokey Bear, my dog who thinks he’s a person), and I admire all those parents out there who manage to hold down a job, run a household, and raise their kids without falling over from sheer exhaustion. School started back here in NC this week and I can hear mothers breathing a collective sigh of relief.
It’s a balancing act to try to do all the things you have to do, and have any time left over for the things you want to do. You spend your day taking care of other people and helping them feel good, and if you’re self-employed you can add all kinds of chores to that, from doing the laundry to scrubbing the bathroom at the office, and more of the same when you get home.
My New Year’s resolution this year was that I was going to quit spending 12 hours a day at my office. I was good for a few months, but I’ve been back-sliding. My mother came to my house and cleaned it today while I was at work. I’m not sure if she felt sorry for me or was just appalled at the dust. My scale tends to be tipping towards work, work, work here lately, and home seems to be the place I get to in time to take a shower and fall into bed.
I’m going to reexamine my schedule and my priorities, and a few things might have to go. I come to this point once in a while. I really enjoy running my business; I just don’t enjoy it when I get to the point where it’s running me, and I’m totally responsible for being in this position. I’m going to have to give up being a control freak and be better about delegating and asking for help. Nobody but me cares that I didn’t finish all the things on my list. It’ll still be there tomorrow. It’s only a few more months til New Year’s, and I can make a new resolution…or just renew the old one…or maybe I’ll join a 12-step group for workaholics.
Peace & Prosperity,
Laura Allen
Posted on August 22nd, 2008 by Laura Allen
Filed under: General
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