My plan for today was to cook dinner and watch TV. I worked quite a few hours late today doing paperwork, and it’s Thursday, I thought maybe it would be okay to take a day off. But, it takes twenty-one days to create a habit so here goes day two of my journey into writing. It was hot today, I work outside, and oddly enough when you work outside the weather becomes your enemy instead of your friend. Each day when I wake up I immediately check the weather station to see what the day will bring. I live in Buffalo, NY; Mother Nature is not necessarily on our good side. You can travel from spring to summer to fall to winter all in one day here in Buffalo.
Let’s talk about work life balance or my lack thereof. There are pages and pages of information on the internet pledging assistance with work life balance. However, when your job requires convenience for customers and an expectation of outstanding customer service, you are responding to emails or taking phone calls well after your scheduled hours to get things done. This in turn muddles your days and nights, your work time and family time and can be a constant source of stress. If I am not working, I am likely thinking of the next storm I will have to weather, or the next complaint I will have to handle. How do I handle my work life balance, terribly, I take the long days with the longer ones, and keep plugging along. I am sometimes cranky, I want to give up, I want to lay on the couch and watch Netflix all day. On a good note, I also take pride in the work that I do, and the service I am able to provide my customers. My new work life balance is going to be writing, my personal “me” time to look forward to. Writing will be my outlet, my escape from reality, the epicenter to the storm swirling around me, called life.
This morning, I woke up full of energy thinking about what I would write about today. It was exhilarating, knowing that when I got home from work, after making dinner, and a short time relaxing I would have something to focus on, something to look forward to.
I wish I had better advice to offer on the subject of work life balance. Right now I am half asleep on the couch as I type this, it was a long and hot day of work. My plan for tomorrow is hopefully a shorter work day and a longer evening to enjoy with Ed and the dogs. If Mother Nature would assist with the temperature, I would be eternally grateful. Please don’t tell any of my Buffalo friends about my weather request, since six out of the twelve months in Buffalo is cold and most likely snowing my request will not be a popular one!