Guilt

As woman I think we learn guilt at an early age. It comes in all shapes and sizes.

We fell guilt when we think we are not spending enough time with our kids

We feel guilt when we hover too much over our kids

We feel guilt when we think we are spending too much time working

We feel guilt when we think we aren’t spending enough time working

We feel guilt when we don’t have the time or energy to make dinner

We feel guilt when the houseplants are thirsty, and our furniture is drowning in dust

The one thing we never seem to feel guilty about is when we neglect ourselves.

So I want to remind you all, make that dreaded annual Dr. appointment, (I for one am overdue) Lock your self in your bedroom and give yourself a facial. Take yourself for a walk (OK you can take the dog with you if leaving it home will make you feel guilty) Sit down with a cup of coffee and look through one of the magazines that’s been lying around for a few months untouched. Do something for yourself and don’t feel guilty about it, nobody else does.

Jill

Picking Your Battles

Ready the last few posts, helped me decide what to write about today. Working from home for the last 25 years has taught me a few things about setting priorities. When you work from home it’s easy to blur the lines between stay at home mom and work at home mom. When you leave each day to go work somewhere else, I think it easier to not fret about the fact that your house isn’t clean or your dirty dishes are in the sink. But when you work at home you suddenly think you are supper woman and can do everything at once.

Let it go. Pick your battles. A clean house is great, but the only one who really notices it is you. Give your self a break and only worry about those things that really matter at the end of the day.

Stress and guilt are killers, and I wish we could figure out a way not to be so hard on ourselves, but as woman I think we are just wired that way

Guilt part deux

I was going to comment to Lynn's post, but figured it would be a lengthy one and my thoughts would keep rambling on. I thought I'd write a new post.

I've been having guilt/regret moments lately. I hate it. Everything Lynn said is true for wahms, really everyone, but when you throw in owning your business, it's more than guilt for either a) not spending more time w/ your husband and kids or b) cleaning your house or volunteering for something. There is always c) doing ANYTHING that has to do w/ your business.

Right now I "should" be a) hanging out w/ my hubby before he goes to work
b) cleaning up the kitchen and the dining room
c) processing an order, updating my web site, straightening my desk

Instead, I'm posting a blog! I've always had guilt frustrations about home/work. Lately I'm having regret sneak it's ugly head in. I love my company, love designing pillowcases, enjoy the satisfaction of creating, guiding, running a business. I have the American Dream:) The dreaded "but" comes in when all that guilt seems to back me into a corner. When the being a wahm is too much. Yes, it's all self imposed. My husband thinks I'm doing a great job and doesn't care if there is dust on the furniture. My boys think it's nice that I'm home. I on the other hand, have moments when it's just too much and all I want to do is dig in my garden, bake cookies and read for a month!

The regret that I had never taken this leap of faith and challenged myself to be a business owner, then have kids and try to "do it all". I've never felt this before...at least not this way. I couldn't imagine having continued my job as a sales manager after I got married, let alone after having kids. I LOVE my life and the decisions that have brought me here. Is it horrible to have those moments when I want to get off this merry go round?? Oh, I know I would last a couple days LOL Then my husband would lock me in my office and not let me out til I processed orders, updated my web site and straightened out my desk!! I'd go crazy NOT being a wahm!

Life is tough, I've said I'm trying to get rid of the negatives and focus on all that is good in the world and my own life. Outside influences are really what makes that difficult...but that's a whole different post on politics and society! For now, I'll work out this guilt/regret thing. The good news is that should only take a few days...school starts on Tuesday and both our boys will be gone "all day". I'll have hours and hours of uninterrupted WORK - woohoo!! Look for a post somewhere in the next 2 weeks about how much I miss them and love being with them all summer:)

Now, I'm off to the kitchen, bake some cookies and spend the afternoon w/ family...the business will still be here and Tuesday I'll have to put my roller skates back on to catch up!

Guilt

I run my own business. And it is labor intensive and requires a lot of my time. I not only make and paint my piggy banks, I maintain my website, process my orders, print my business cards and do the packing and shipping.

Some of it is hands on product creation, and some of it is the office/paper work. I am falling behind on the office work. Especially the website maintenance. Why? I know how to do it. It just takes some time.

I am falling behind because I feel guilty sitting here at the computer working. If I am at the computer, I am not painting. Or physically completing something. My priorities are to get the piggy banks painted and shipped. However, if I don't get the website updated, I won't get the new products selling.

But I feel guilty working at the computer in the evening, so either I keep painting, or I don't work in the evening. And during the day I paint, because I feel guilty sitting at the computer. Like I am neglecting the piggy banks. Argh.

What I am trying to say is, it is tough being a wahm. You have to make time for everything. All parts of your business....whether it seems like you are physically accomplishing something or not. And don't forget your family. They're the reason you are working at home in the first place.