Thursday, September 15, 2011

Live to work or work to live?

There's a lot of talk about a work-life balance and I'm feeling very much like my work-life balance is out of whack. I'm exhausted. I went to work at 9.15 yesterday morning. I got home at 1.35 this morning. And I'll be back at the cinema by 9.30 this morning.

Okay. I wasn't actually at work for all that time. I did sneak off to the library for around 3 hours in the middle of the day (from 11.30am -2pmish). But still. It's a long day. Especially when there was a function for 110 from 5-9pm, then 300 odd people for the 10.30pm burlesque show. Believe me, there was a lot of beer sold.

This kind of day is unfortunately all to common for me. I've been cursed with a strong work ethic (thanks Mum & Dad) and because I love the cinema I run, I almost always go above and beyond what the job requires. It was my son's birthday yesterday, but I barely saw him. We're having a party next week, but it's not quite the same...

But today, exhausted and with a to-do list longer than my arm (functions are great, but they take so much time away from the other, more mundane things I need to get done) I have to wonder if it's worth it. By the time I get home tonight, I'll be too cranky and tired to do anything except collapse in front of the TV and go to bed early after the kids go to bed. Which means no writing.

And no writing means I won't get to finish the final two chapters of my book. Because yes, I made it through the climactic scene yesterday, and am now well into the home stretch. The end is in sight!

This is all kind of my fault. I am the boss and I do write the rosters. I just always feel better if I'm there to oversee major events.

How do you manage a work-life balance?

4 comments:

  1. I feel your pain. Its been a year or two since I pulled a 5am-3am shift, but even just ten minutes ago, I volunteered to take my computer home every night and weekend until we get a specific issue resolved.

    If someone else comes up with a great suggestion, I'm happy to give it a try. But until then, get some rest when you can :-)

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  2. I don't work, but I am home with kids. For me, it's just sort of a - keep the computer open in hopes for a few minutes here and there. It's WAY hard. WAY.

    The biggest problem is that by the time it quiets down at night, I'm too tired. And staying up isn't a great option when there is no longer such a thing as sleeping in. EVER. lol. I don't think ANYONE ever finds this perfect balance, we all just work and do, and sometimes it's okay, but I think a lot of us feel like there just aren't enough hours in a day more often than not.

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  3. If only we didn't need to do stupid things like sleeping and eating and cleaning house. Then I might be able to achieve my goals in a more timely fashion...

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  4. It's hard. Like Jolene I stay home, but I have the two kids and a husband who works 60+ hours a week. There are days I just can't write. Days I force myself and then the lucky days I don't want to leave the computer. YOu just have to take them as they come, I guess. for someone like you, are you a scheduler? Can you schedule writing hours weekly? I know if I set myself up with a schdule or something, there is a part of me who won't let me not do it. LOL

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