Work Shy
08/05/09 12:02
Should I stay or should I go now? To work that is!
“ Beat you, you’re a loser, nah nah na nah nah” are the shouts everyone in the supermarket could hear from my youngest as she runs down the aisles of the supermarket. I can’t believe someone can get so much joy from a food shopping trip! I’m in one of those “in between jobs” periods again and I’m doing the domestic duties.
When I had my first child I didn’t know what it would be like to not go to work everyday. I was 35 and I had gone from sixth form college straight onto a sandwich course which meant no long summer holidays, just work (and money of course!). I’d been a bit of a career girl, not one of those who stand on others to get up the career ladder, just a hard, conscientious worker. So suddenly being a home all day was a shock to the system. Of course in the early days of my first daughters life I was busy doing the changing nappies, washing bottles and sleeping thing. However it wasn’t long before I’d got bored of the home life and felt a need to be out there, doing something, feeling like I was making a difference. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying anything against the stay at home mums, they do a great job. Its just that it wasn’t for me. So I was quite glad when my maternity leave finished and it was time to go back to work.
Since then I’ve had another child and thus another stint of maternity leave and I’ve also had time in between jobs. During some of those time periods I’ve really enjoyed myself with no pressure to do anything other than the families food, washing and keeping the house tidy. However as I’m far from a domestic goddess this is never really enough. Now I’m in between jobs again and I really can’t decide what I want to do. Part of me wants to return to work so I get the feeling of achieving something and being useful that I only seem to get from being employed. The other part of me wants to just stay at home.
My ideal is to win the lottery so I can do whatever I want all day every day without any money worries or pressure from anywhere. Alright alright don’t shout at the screen I know thats what about 95% of the population want. With the other 5% already having that luxury! Wouldn’t it be nice though? It wouldn’t have to be lots of money, just enough to keep us going as a family and allow us to go on a few holidays. I wouldn’t even be desperate to move house. Although I would like those jobs done to the house that I’m always nagging and complaining about but never get done. My partner and I set up our own company contracting and it always seem to be that either both myself and my partner are working and have the money, but no time for those DIY jobs or we’re not working and have the time, but of course no money! Is everyone like that or are we unique? Or is it just an excuse to not get on with it? Are we just too lazy when we are working to motivate ourselves in the evenings and weekends and not watch 24 or whatever other long running programme we are into at the time.Anyway I digress back to the work question. Which is better; to be at home writing blogs, doing general web development and of course my domestic duties, or to be at work somewhere, fighting for my place at a company so they’ll honour my contract to the end or even extend it? Am I just work shy?
There are some great advantages to being at home. I can eat what I want when I want. So if (yes I know its a big if!) I want to follow a diet plan that involves lunch like scrambled eggs on toast and snacks like yoghurt and fresh fruit. I can do so without it being a lot of pallava or just simply impossible. I also get to surf the web whenever I like for whatever I want without being worried that someone passing doesn’t think its appropriate to be checking out the latest soap gossip even though its lunchtime. Currently my partner is at home as well so I’m not isolated but even if he wasn’t there’s always ichat and MSN and a multitude of web forums to go to so I don’t feel alone at all. I can make sure all my washing is done as, despite all my complaining about it sometimes, it only takes a couple of minutes to put it in then fold it and put it away after its been tumble dried. I can have a long lunch and work in the evening, or work through lunch and start dinner early. These may seem like trivial things but they can all add up to make one happy bunny. There are other advantages to us both working at home but I’d better not go into them here.....oh the list is endless!
So the disadvantages? Well money of course! (hence the desire to win the lottery). Unless we can make a real go of our business and quickly I’ll be forced to return to society soon. Its not that I haven’t tried to get another contract, there just isn’t that much out there at the moment. The thought of applying for them, chasing agents, interviews, first week etc. doesn’t really appeal but I know I’d get into it again once I got going, the way I always do. Then my family will complain that there’s never any food in the house and my youngest will be deprived of a great hour of entertainment every week! Still needs must. I will let you know how I get on
When I had my first child I didn’t know what it would be like to not go to work everyday. I was 35 and I had gone from sixth form college straight onto a sandwich course which meant no long summer holidays, just work (and money of course!). I’d been a bit of a career girl, not one of those who stand on others to get up the career ladder, just a hard, conscientious worker. So suddenly being a home all day was a shock to the system. Of course in the early days of my first daughters life I was busy doing the changing nappies, washing bottles and sleeping thing. However it wasn’t long before I’d got bored of the home life and felt a need to be out there, doing something, feeling like I was making a difference. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying anything against the stay at home mums, they do a great job. Its just that it wasn’t for me. So I was quite glad when my maternity leave finished and it was time to go back to work.
Since then I’ve had another child and thus another stint of maternity leave and I’ve also had time in between jobs. During some of those time periods I’ve really enjoyed myself with no pressure to do anything other than the families food, washing and keeping the house tidy. However as I’m far from a domestic goddess this is never really enough. Now I’m in between jobs again and I really can’t decide what I want to do. Part of me wants to return to work so I get the feeling of achieving something and being useful that I only seem to get from being employed. The other part of me wants to just stay at home.
My ideal is to win the lottery so I can do whatever I want all day every day without any money worries or pressure from anywhere. Alright alright don’t shout at the screen I know thats what about 95% of the population want. With the other 5% already having that luxury! Wouldn’t it be nice though? It wouldn’t have to be lots of money, just enough to keep us going as a family and allow us to go on a few holidays. I wouldn’t even be desperate to move house. Although I would like those jobs done to the house that I’m always nagging and complaining about but never get done. My partner and I set up our own company contracting and it always seem to be that either both myself and my partner are working and have the money, but no time for those DIY jobs or we’re not working and have the time, but of course no money! Is everyone like that or are we unique? Or is it just an excuse to not get on with it? Are we just too lazy when we are working to motivate ourselves in the evenings and weekends and not watch 24 or whatever other long running programme we are into at the time.Anyway I digress back to the work question. Which is better; to be at home writing blogs, doing general web development and of course my domestic duties, or to be at work somewhere, fighting for my place at a company so they’ll honour my contract to the end or even extend it? Am I just work shy?
There are some great advantages to being at home. I can eat what I want when I want. So if (yes I know its a big if!) I want to follow a diet plan that involves lunch like scrambled eggs on toast and snacks like yoghurt and fresh fruit. I can do so without it being a lot of pallava or just simply impossible. I also get to surf the web whenever I like for whatever I want without being worried that someone passing doesn’t think its appropriate to be checking out the latest soap gossip even though its lunchtime. Currently my partner is at home as well so I’m not isolated but even if he wasn’t there’s always ichat and MSN and a multitude of web forums to go to so I don’t feel alone at all. I can make sure all my washing is done as, despite all my complaining about it sometimes, it only takes a couple of minutes to put it in then fold it and put it away after its been tumble dried. I can have a long lunch and work in the evening, or work through lunch and start dinner early. These may seem like trivial things but they can all add up to make one happy bunny. There are other advantages to us both working at home but I’d better not go into them here.....oh the list is endless!
So the disadvantages? Well money of course! (hence the desire to win the lottery). Unless we can make a real go of our business and quickly I’ll be forced to return to society soon. Its not that I haven’t tried to get another contract, there just isn’t that much out there at the moment. The thought of applying for them, chasing agents, interviews, first week etc. doesn’t really appeal but I know I’d get into it again once I got going, the way I always do. Then my family will complain that there’s never any food in the house and my youngest will be deprived of a great hour of entertainment every week! Still needs must. I will let you know how I get on
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