Next up, following on from my earlier post about work life merge, we’ve now got Nickie O’Hara’s (that doesn’t look right, but I think it is, grammatically?) thoughts on the article and how her life relates to it… She’s answering the following:
How her work and life is merged, whether she’s happy with it, and if not, what she is doing to address it. And also, whether she thinks the merge is worse for women or men, or if it’s equally split?
So, following on from my previous post about work life merge, I’ve now got Sally Whittle’s thoughts on the article and how her life relates to it… I won’t repeat my description of Sally here, as it’s in the earlier blog post, but she’s answering the following:
How her work and life is merged, whether she’s happy with it, and if not, what she is doing to address it. And also, whether she thinks the merge is worse for women or men, or if it’s equally split?
Work life merge – yes there’s now a “term” called work life merge. If you’re not interested in anything to do with this, I won’t be offended if you leave now. But if you are someone who juggles between work life and home life, read on :))
I read a really interesting article on the Guardian yesterday, about the “merging” of work and home lives. It gave me another added dimension to my thinking about how I’m putting myself on my own to do list. But rather than just spout off on one about it, I figured it would be a good idea to ask some other people I know to comment on it as well.
Isn’t there a phrase? That you don’t like what you hear if you listen to the conversation of other people? Well, I do like what I’m hearing right now.
Daddy and E are doing the words “buzz” and “fuss” and “jass” instead of “jazz”. E is not happy with Daddy helping him with his spellings.
W is shouting “I’ve finished” every 30 seconds. And behold, he has finished each task that needs doing. But it’s the tone, “Dadddeeeeeee, I am telling you that I have finished. Again. I have finished again, can you hear me Dadeeeeeeeee?”
I can’t explain this very well. I think I should have done some audio with audio boo. But it’s funny. E is chanting “This is boring, this is boring, boring smoring, snoring, boring…” It is very funny. W is now asking “Please can we have the play doh out?”, followed by lots of “Why not…?” and “Daddy you are boring” lines. He’s four and only mimicking E, but it’s amazing to listen to.
In other news, today, I have done the school run this morning, and it’s caused me a lot of stress. If I did it every day, there’d be a regimented conveyor belt in operation to make it easier for me. Not for the boys. For me. Wendy Howell is right, there’s no joy in the school run in a morning. Things I need to do:
- My work. That stuff that brings in the monies to pay for ice cream and toys. According to W, I work on my computer and then I get money given to me to buy ice cream and toys. It is *not* for buying clothes, as W told Nanna the other week – she said “I’ve got you a present” and W said “So long as it’s not more clothes Nanna. We neeeeeeed toys”. I have no idea where he gets his direct, factual approach from.
- To research seals with E, because we bought a rubber for £1.25 yesterday in the shape of a seal. This is obviously the priority. My earning money will have to wait.
So today, I know I’m a grown up, because I just put a load of washing in the machine and was *very* satisfied to see that my washing machine drawer is still gleaming and lovely and clean from my deep cleaning of it last weekend with vinegar. I know. I don’t get out much. But vinegar is amazing. I also use it in the washing machine and dishwasher and the kettle and on the taps to clean. I don’t do all of these things at the same time, or even, regularly. But when I do, vinegar is the dogs cahoona’s for cleaning with.
Anyway, contrast that with friend Wendy aka Wob Wob – don’t know how I’ve come to name her that, but it’s stuck, coming here from a loooooong day at work and me having a) no tea for her and b) telling her that if she wants food she’ll have to sort herself out. She’s out right now, at the chippy. I think that’s the best solution as I am being a lazy moo and can’t be assed to do anything other than eat cereal.
So there you have it – one one hand I’m Martha Stewart. On the other, I’m emulating someone from Shameless. It’s an interesting life I lead….
PS. I can’t even be bothered to find an image for this, so think of something yourself. But something nice, ok?
I know!!! Taking time off again!!!! What the fluff I hear you cry? Well, actually, I’m taking tomorrow and Thursday daytime relatively off, to hang out with friends and their children. It won’t be sitting around and eating cake though because we’ve got things to do which will also serve me for a work purpose. I can’t separate the two any more. Anyway, that’s a different topic…
But I’m documenting it because a year ago, I sat down in Scotsdales (with cake) and Ann Hawkins and started to look at what there is, that I already do and like doing, and what there is that I do and wanted to change. One of them was to have more work life balance and also, to be comfortable with it. It’s the latter that’s still the difficult aspect for me. I think people and businesses rate and value my work more when they know it’s a full time occupation, rather than a part time one. So I embrace it and make excuses for when I have time off. Like I’m about to in the next paragraph.
Time Off is not really Time Off in my world. The hours I would normally have worked tomorrow, will be covered by my working tonight and then tomorrow – Wednesday, when we get home at 4.30pm I’ll hand the boys on to Lovely Bloke, will grab the tea he will have lovingly prepared, head down to the office and get a good 5, possibly 6 hours of work done. And then I’ll do the same on Thursday. The boys don’t see it, and Lovely Bloke doesn’t mind, because he gets TWO days to himself – to clean, go to the gym, go to Waitrose without people begging for magazines / chocolate treats and whinging at him when they don’t get their own way.
And then on Friday, I’ll work a longer day to compensate for hours missed on Wednesday and Thursday. And of course, I’ll have my phone and laptop with me on Wed & Thurs so I’ll be replying, commenting, sharing and doing my work from them both whilst on the go.
I’m not documenting this for sympathy. I’m just writing it out as it surprises me that I am filing Wednesday and Thursday this week as being “days off” when they truly are not! They are me working alternative hours to the usual 9am – 6pm that I do, that’s all. So, that’s me, putting it out there that when you see men and women saying that they are having “time off” you shouldn’t assume that they are out of reach, not monitoring online platforms or paying attention to what’s developing around them. Because more likely than not, they are in reach, they are monitoring and they are acutely alert to what’s happening out there in the world !
Anyway back to the point. I saw something today that I really liked, on Facebook, so I’m posting it here, because it was a year ago that I started to make a shift in my working arrangements. Hopefully in another year I’ll be in a position to work alternative hours as and when I want to, and not feel the need to justify it to myself or others. That’s the next step, surely?
This is not me ;)
The one thing I don’t write about, anywhere, is my weight. Lots of other people do, and write really well about it. So for now, I just want to put it out there. I’m tired of being fat, of having problems with my tummy being so big, of having a horrible muffin top that keeps leaping out of my jeans. I know that I’m not that big, I know I could be bigger, I know I should be grateful for being who I am and looking like I do, but I want to feel better in my body.
So I’m fixing it. I’m eating less crap. And I’m swimming. And tonight I’ve done my best swim to date. 101 lengths, which are half of proper lengths, but involve lots of turning around, so I think they should count for more ;) And now I’m going to bed. Sweating. And in need of a shower in the morning.
I’ll write more positively about it tomorrow but for now I’m putting a marker in the sand. I’m going to kick my flubbers ass.
PS. If anyone could quote some research, true or otherwise, saying that if I lose weight my hair will grown quicker. There’s nothing like motivation!!!!
PPS. Image courtesy of arzunsushii.blogspot.com
Liz Weston is Cambridge Mummy, a self employed, full time working, mummy blogger and mummy to two lovely boys and wife to Lovely Bloke. They live in Cambridge (I know, but it’s good to be clear) and have a lovely life together. Most of the time.