I am normally an energetic, enthusiastic WAHM(work at home mom) that lives on this side of optimism…rolling along with whatever comes my way and always seeing the bright sunny side to every situation.
OK…not so much lately…I have been a real Bitch…I could have used a different word or perhaps put symbols for the letters but it would not convey how I have been acting and feeling….Just ask my family… I am not me, and it has really been bothering me…not losing sleep bothering me, but a Bitchy bothering. I went through this checklist, much like Santa does just before sending out those goodies.
PMS - on certain days but not for a whole month or two!
The Scream by Edvard Munsch
Perimenopause – Could be, I am at that ripe age for this.
Depression - Been there, done that, not all the right symptoms.
I could not figure it out…and believe me after years of being in a fog I needed to figure it out!
Then…while catching up on some blog reading and more blog reading, I ended up here http://wahmbizbuilde.com/ and OMG… the answer to my angst was right there in front of me… I was thinking to myself “was she thinking of me as she wrote those words, was she watching me, did she know of my plight personally,are there other people like me”….it was as if the words were there just for me.
And there it was in a funny”Law of Attraction” kind of way, the answer found me… I had my explanation for this “situation“. This is what I found.
“One of the biggest issues facing you as a work-at-home mom is the potential for burnout. You thought it would be easier to work from home, but why do you feel so exhausted all the time?
When you have to run around frantically every day to keep your business going, take care of your home and try to fit in family time, you’re stressed and unhappy. And you eventually burn out….”
Ok… so now I know that I am not going crazy or slipping into a vortex of depression… yahoo…wait… is that some enthusiasm slippping out… now that I have named it and claimed it, what next?
Time to pull out the strategy tool box, so here are my old stand-bys. Taking a daily walk, visiting my parents in the country (doing that this weekend), decluttering anything (I find this therapeutic)… and finally getting out of my house and seeing real people… I did that last night at the Red Whale with some other business WOMEN. This last one has not been an issue until recently, over the past 2 years I am spending less time with people and more time working on product so I am tied to the computer more that I am used to.
I love to teach others and I constantly take life situations and turn them into a classroom… my kids will attest to that…I drive them crazy with the life lessons.
Did you know there are over 900,000 self employed women in Canada, this is a 2007 statistic, imagine what the global numbers would be today! I am part of a growing global trend , this is not a decision I made lightly and do not take it lightly or for one moment do I regret it… I would not change it for anything. However, there are times when you just need some help.
This is where the teaching and for me… learning part comes in. I will put my student hat on and would love for you to be the teacher.
Would you please share your SUCCESS strategies for dealing with WAHM burnout. Not just for me but for all the WAHM’s out there just like me who need a little help… to quote one of my all time favourite bands….
I get by with a little help from my friends…
Whew! And try working full time at a 9 to 5-er AND building a home business. I hear you, Elaine. Yesterday I put a stop to all my rushing around and sat down and … well, just sat down. And boy, did it feel good. Just connected with myself. I need to remember to do this every single day.
@eliza I can’t even imagine trying to do all this while working 9 to 5 as well…Great advice, will work on that over the weekend.
Breath- sometime we forget to just breath. Every night after everyone else has gone to bed(I am the night Hawk in our house) no matter how late or cold or rainy or snowy I go out in my backyard, or just open the back door if it is really crappy out, and I breath in the fresh air and thank the Universe for my life. Sometimes I spend 15 minutes out there other days I am so tired I only spend a minute, but no matter the length of time I use this time to BREATH, to reconnect with myself, to let go of all the days ‘stuff’, to prepare for a peaceful sleep and get refreshed for the next day and be ready for whatever may be thrown a me. As long as I can breath, I figure I am doing pretty good!
@kim eagles Great advice, with lots going on sometimes breathing is the answer. Thanks
Exercise – doesn’t even have to be daily. I do a 15-20 min. workout every other morning and that helps a lot. It forces me to concentrate on something else besides business (I run two online businesses from home), like my form and breathing. Check out http://www.t-tapp.com for more info on that.
I have a similar but in some ways opposite problem – I’m going crazy because I don’t have a job. Elaine, over the last couple of weeks you have been going full out. School is back on, Scouting is back on. And you have been driving your business. Have you given yourself even one little break?
Yesterday I drove up the back route to Fredericton via Cambridge Narrows to the Beaverbrook Gallery. Drove back via the SJ River valley. The fall colours were amazing, the gallery is incredible, Even had a little picnic. I really separated from my out-of-work angst. I’m back feeling a whole lot more invigorated today. Perhaps you and the skipper need a little break together. Turn off the BB or give it to Kim for the day.
@karen I checked out the site you mentioned…t-tapp looks very interesting. I will investigate further, thanks for info.
@Greg I can’t wait to see the fall colors on the way to the Lake tomorrow. The skipper and I are actually heading out for a java date right now and without the BB, thanks.
Elaine , I always remember what you told me- it doesn’t have to be perfect–better than before is enough.
okay I will add something to my post- I do NOT own a BB and do not plan to. We are running businesses and we have to act like WE are running the business and not the business running us, I am not that important that if I am away from my computer the world will end. I have learnt that people will wait, not forever but they will wait a few hours for any answers they need from me. So I concur with Greg- turn off BB Elaine (I do not want it, LOL), take a drive, relax and enjoy your time. Business will be there waiting for you when you get back!
Ok I get it…I am taking the weekend off and enjoying the Autumn colors in the country, and I might whip some butt at the card game on Saturday night….Oh there is the competitiveness coming out
. However in my defense…I don’t wear my crackberry on my hip it is in my purse.
Thanks again for all the great tips. I am already feeling better, the mind shift is happening!