So, today is the third anniversary of my first day as a part-time employee working from home. Technically speaking, I was unemployed for the month of December that year – I didn’t start my job until January 1st – and it was the longest break I had ever had since graduating from college.
Looking back today, I’m so glad I finally plucked up the courage to make that move. When I first started thinking about becoming a consultant, the idea of doing so was absolutely terrifying. I mean, who would ever hire me for advice? Plus, what if I didn’t cut it? My perfectly good job was gone and I now faced being 50 without a safety net.
However, the lure of working part-time and from home was undeniable. It sounded fantastic. Quiet time to be able to think. The ability to still make a difference in this world but not to have to do it so intensely. All of that wonderful time off. I mean, what was I going to do with myself?
Three years, a successful consulting career launched, two kitties and more than a few renovation projects later and I can see more clearly my new life. While I work only 60% of the time that I used to work, I’m incredibly busy. Life has expanded to fill that space. We’ve expanded the garden once and then again; we adopted another little furry stray to add to our family; we’ve remodeled the fireplace room and the laundry/half-bath room and I’ve held a paint brush in my hand for longer periods than I thought was possible.
But the changes aren’t simply replacing one set of work with another set of work. Instead, there have been some amazing changes that have nothing to do with work. For instance, right now I’m writing in my blog while sitting on the floor watching my newest kitty earnestly clean himself after lunch. I almost always make dinner now and I’m focused on healthy meals made from scratch, which satisfy both my appetite and my creative side. I spend infinitely more time decorating my house – my husband and my sister both remarked that my house looks like a Pottery Barn catalog. That may have been a slight; I took it as a compliment.
Mostly, I’ve slowed my pace. I’m not as frantic as I used to be. There are still days when I feel overwhelmed with the volume of work – both for my career and my home – but those are much fewer and far between. I don’t panic about potential disruptions like I used to. For instance, we’re under a winter storm warning. In the past, that would have prompted panic. A storm warning meant possible disruptions in my schedule. To avoid those disruptions being a problem, I’d have to hurry and get more done now so I was prepared. And if by chance I got all prepared and the worst didn’t happen, well then, those few extra minutes could be applied to completing another task that was further down the list and possibly given up for dead.
Today, life has assumed a slower cadence. I still need to work on some things to make that cadence really hit home and those will be my goals for the next year. While I love the flexibility of being able to go between home and work with the mere act of opening up my laptop, I’ve become a slave to checking my email messages. This next year, I’m going to try that trick where you answer messages only three times a day – first thing in the morning, after lunch and then at the end of the workday. That seems reasonable and will give me back a modicum of control over my thoughts tending to veer towards work. The other goals I have for this new year? I suppose it’s going to be to focus again on work and life balance with more emphasis on the life part. I want to look at the time between meetings, calls, assignments and deadlines more as my own time. That way, I won’t be resentful when work time spills into the traditional non-working hours. I also want to enjoy the year we have decided to take off from renovation projects. Instead, once my not-so-renovated house gets cleaned up, it can stay cleaned up. The chaos of renovations tends to cause me stress, which for the next year, I simply want to avoid.
And finally, maybe most importantly, I want to spend this next year truly celebrating this opportunity I’ve been given. I work in jeans and sweaters or t-shirts and shorts. I’m likely to do conference calls on the back deck in summer and zoom calls in front of the fireplace in winter. Mid-day is an excellent time to do laundry, if it means hanging clothes out or throwing them into the dryer. I’ve got two kitties who may be overly spoiled but they each expect a fair amount of “momma time” each day. I’ve also got a wonderful husband, family and friends who are truly my first priority in life.
Three years ago today, I felt a mix of emotions. I was so sad to leave my colleagues and friends at my old organization and so excited to enjoy more “life” in my work/life balance. I was scared to become a consultant but thrilled to be a stay-at-home kitty momma. I was still too keyed up from saying goodbye to enjoy the first few days of that month off but I was looking forward to sleeping in and enjoying the holidays.
Today? It’s been a super tough year. The pandemic, stress about work, a renovation project, having some significant asthma symptoms and the integration of a new cat have all meant extra chaos and less joy. Yet, it’s December 1st and – should I desire – it’s a good time to reset my own clock.
Looking forward, I am excited for the year to come. I am going to challenge myself to focus on simple peace more. I want to cherish every second of this opportunity I’ve been given to live differently and focus on my home, family and the furry little beings who rely so much on us. Everything else is secondary.
I made a choice on December 1st, 2017. I chose me. I chose to stop being so responsible and instead put joy first in my life. This December 1st? I renew that commitment.
Peace and joy. They mean more to me than I can ever truly express. But I wish them on you as much as I wish them for myself.
The Yuppie Homesteader 