NOTE: Since the original posting of this blog some resolution appears to be in the works. I went to the business owner and expressed my dire need for 2 regular days off in a row AND that "I need to make more money". Well, he immediately was fine with my being off on Mondays, which was my preference! Also, he said he is working on some ideas that might give me more responsibilities on the days that I AM working, like picking up some pieces from florists on my way into the warehouse. So talking with him really was the way to go. In addition, I have resolved to get in bed by midnight, read a bit if I feel like it, and be up by between 7-8 am. I am slowly working it down to 7 am and by summer should be up by 6 am, which has always been my habit in the summer. If I stick to this schedule, I should have plenty of time to do things in the morning BEFORE I head out to pick up my flowers at 1 or even if I have to make a few stops on the way. I am really happy about this new direction and hope it works out for me.
I haven't blogged because my life has become a whirlwind of work and recovering from WORK!
Yeah, I'm loving my flower gig, but it dominates my life in ways that don't really make sense.
I feel like I am "getting ready to go to work" in the few hours I have in the morning and "relaxing after work" in the few hours in the evening.
And this is 6 days a week!
It's not hard labor, it's fun, but it is unpredictable and usually keeps me out on the road from noon to around 6pm. During this time I am picking up my flowers and then delivering them within a semi-rural area.
This is very pleasant work but pays very little. Very. I knew that going into it and at the time that was enough. It may continue to be, I don't know.
But my "life work" balance is off kilter. I am finding no time to ride the scooter, ride the bikes, hike with the dogs, and golf.
These are my few real passions and I really, really miss doing them.
Excuses? Sometimes I stay up late reading or watching TV or playing on the Kindle Fire and so I sleep in and my morning starts too late. There are dogs to feed and walk as well as myself and then I turn around and it is noon, time to leave.
I can get back home anywhere from 3:30 to 9:30pm, depending on how many orders I have and then that is unpredictable. Easter was very busy, Mother's Day will be the busiest of all.
"Busy" means more money and did I mention that this gig that I love does not pay that well? Yes, I did.
When I work Monday through Saturday with Sunday as my only day off, how do I get to: 1. relax 2. do errands 3. do chores 4. ride 5. anything else.
It doesn't happen.
Add in rain, cold weather that seems to never end, and the guilt of missing a day because someone else has to deliver all my orders now that I am not there and it all adds up to frustration.
So I am frustrated, tired, agitated, and starving for a few days for myself just to enjoy the time away from work doing things I want to do.
I am not sure what the solution is for me, but I am working on one.
Getting up earlier, cutting back to 5 days and "be damned let them figure it out" come into my mind as first steps.
Looking for another job is also crossing my mind ever so slightly.
Meanwhile I struggle with the sense of "no time" and the scooter and bikes gather dust.
My dogs get no outings and get stressed and depressed. They mirror my mood.
I feel like I spend a lot of time here...
And, yes, I'll take some cheese with that whine...
End of rant...for now!
I'm no stranger to working too hard. We need balance in our lives, otherwise we get cranky. Or at least I do. Best wishes to you.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I am exploring alternatives. In this economy in Ohio the choices are narrow, but I am hopeful!
DeleteRant away. Nothing wrong with expressing frustration! Your complaints sound legit. I'm in a similar situation of feast and famine and I am loving every 6 day week and every 9 hour day on my feet. I know around the first of July things will slow down quite a bit. That's really not very many paychecks away...
ReplyDeleteYou are not independent, are you? That's where more money is. If you work for a couple different florists. I would hope you get some nice tips now. Flowers are a luxury, but those HUGE dates can earn you some nice dough. Still, it helps if your city has a decent economy, too. Don't know how it is where you are.
I wish you many days of happy fatigue. Every day as I leave I tell Jasper that I have to go make money so we can move. He nods his head and says, "Get going." That's my motivation. Hell, winter is almost here...
Our economy is not good, though floral sales seem to be. I am a contractor, working for a family-owned biz that contracts with city-wide florists. Most florists also have their own driver employees.
DeleteI don't make much, at all. As the numbers go down, so does my weekly compensation. I don't see it improving. I am driving average a 100 miles a day, 6 days a week, doing about 36 hours of "part time" work. I have hit a "wall" physically and financially and my old car is wearing out too.Gotta look around at some alternatives real soon.
I hope you continue to be busy so the cash flow keeps coming in, but I also hope you find the balance you are looking for.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to find a balance. We are up at 4 am every day so try to be in bed by 9 in the evening. Not much time for walking or much else after dinner is done.
I wouldn't mind so much if the cash was flowing, but it's not.
DeleteLegit and easy to come by. You're on a schedule that's familiar to me, one I had a long time ago and experience taught me that I lacked the experience to plan, allocate and follow-through. I absolutely need to rise early (do it 7 days/week even though I have to do it 4), go to my job and come home. My days of an early afternoon start time left me 'preparing' for work all morning, accomplishing nothing. Not enough discipline here.
ReplyDeleteChange what you can so that you don't have to continue as is.
I am an early riser but noon comes around too soon and I could get home anytime between 4 and 9pm. I never know.
DeleteIt is not working for me and so I am exploring other options.
I've been there and done that, and frankly I think it ruined my first Marriage. Only you can decided what is going to work best for you and your needs. If you don't need the money then cut back to 4 or 5 days a week. If you need the money then consider pizza or newspaper delivery (in a previous life I was making $300 a week for working 3 days a week). There are always options. Also, trust me...a rant is not a bad thing now and again. :)
ReplyDeleteYea, I hardly have a home life now and certainly no time to do anything much else. Cutting back to 5 days at this rate of pay might be a temporary means to endure until I find something else.
DeleteI am just not physically managing this at all. I collapsed on a porch delivering a basket on Saturday and I truly feel that my legs just gave way due to sheer exhaustion. I have been off since then, but not near enough time to recuperate.
I am really struggling right now with depression and exhaustion. I appreciate your insights.
Sounds like a familiar pattern to me, social disaster included. Like Robert I destroyed my private life over work, and learned the hard way how to change things for the better. Ranting is good! It's a call for change ;-)
ReplyDeleteI finally got out of a "profession" that I hated for years and went to this full-time since Christmas. It just does not pay well and the hours and physical demands are just too much for my "older" body. I hate to admit that, but it is true!
DeleteYep, change is in the works, that's for sure!
i feel your pain! I am paying the piper now to pay off the new bike. I am taking extra days at work and teaching this weekend. So my work-life balance is a little off, but I will make do.
ReplyDeleteLook after yourself! I am glad you are getting Monday off.