All Work and All Play

Some of you (possibly one of my 12 followers) may wonder why I have been absent. Things got crazy there for a while. I had a minor surgery, a few life changes and a job offer. Life changes fast! My intention was to stay home with Amelia indefinitely; but a great offer came my way which was not only enticing, but flexible enough to fit into life with my ginourmous family.

Lets play catch up. A few months ago my sister in law and her son moved in with us. Shortly thereafter, a friend and former customer offered me a position within his company. The position is part time and from home as needed. My sister-in-law and I discussed the opportunity, as child care was a huge issue. Now, instead of sending Amelia to childcare, we trade days in our home. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday my sister-in-law watches the kids and on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, it's my turn. So the first cost of working (childcare) is eliminated ($ 45 per day x 3 = 135 x 53 = $ 7,020 saved per year). This is an amazing savings. If anyone can share childcare share DO IT!

So here is my next challenge. When life's pace picks up and time is limited, we spend more money. We buy pizzas instead of making dinner, we send clothes to the cleaners rather than ironing them ourselves, we balance our checkbook once a month instead of checking on it once a week (we spend more when we don't check ourselves). My job now it to make sure that this job earns more than it costs. More important than the financial costs are our the costs associated with our time. Life moving fast means less time for the ones we love. And truly, those moments we may lose are the stuff that makes life worth living. Some times when we are going a million different directions, we are distracted and not fully present with those we love.

I am going to rely on a tenet my mother points out frequently. Wherever you are - be present. With limited time this becomes ever so urgent! When we multi-task we tend to give part of ourselves to many different directions and never all of ourselves to one. Do we want to miss the laughter of our children, or for that matter the kindness of a colleaugue? Do we want to be partially present at any point in our lives (exception being at the dentist)? I have to check myself and make sure that I do not allow my busy schedule to run my life. I must be organized and smart about this and keep my wits about me. Now the important question....

Why did I go back to work? The opportunity was invaluable. I was offered a position with a company that subscribes to my beliefs and values. I am working for a company which considers Earth Day a paid holiday as long as you volunteer a few hours of your time. I am working for a company which considers their customers, their employees and their planet to be invaluable resources. The company is called Evolve and I am thrilled to be a part of it.

Now here is my challenge. We have been able to successfully manage on one income. We invested more and put more in savings than ever before during the time that I was not working. We found ways to conserve that we had never discovered before. So now, when an opportunity to earn presented itself, I was in a position to say no. For the first time in my life I made the choice to work because I believed in the mission of a company, and not because I had to.

And now my blog moves in a new direction, and hopefully it can be as insightful (at least for me) as before. This new job does not require pantyhose, but the occasional hosiery sock is appropriate. And wouldn't you know that the first time I wore them, I ended the day with a run!