Back to Work – How I Feel One Year Later

So it’s been a little over a year since I went back to work after working from home as a full-time entrepreneur for 4 years. Wondering how it’s going? No? Well, I am going to tell you anyway. I AM STILL EXHAUSTED!!!

Seriously…

Somehow I used to work full-time, have a photography gig almost every weekend, blog on a consistent basis, travel several times a year for blogging junkets and conferences, and manage to build a few websites. I had the drive and motivation then. I had the hustle game DOWN!

But now? I.AM.TIRED!!! And I only work 25 hours a week! How did I do all of that before?? Well… I was younger. That could be it. I had more energy. But, you already know that 2017 was a rough year for me. I started working again on 12/20/2016. Yep, during the holidays. And it was in the midst of, umm… life! Usually, this would have been a very busy time for a blogger, but because of the situation I was in, I took it easy. I had just sold my house in Sept 2016. We moved in with my mother-in-law. We were there for almost 6 months. I reviewed a few things, but I did not want my usual influx of holiday gift guide packages to come to her house, so I skipped my gift guides, and I skipped my usual Tech Days of Christmas giveaways.

We moved into our new house on Feb 18th. We got super lucky that day. It was over 50 degrees! Hmm… like it is in Chicago right now. While I was busy packing to move (again), I was also helping my mother pack to move. We know how that went. She passed away on March 28th, her moving day. At the same time, my mother-in-law found out that she had to move unexpectedly. Days after my mom passed we had to help her move stuff to storage, etc., etc.

By the time we really got to unpack our own stuff and settle into our home, it was May. I was BEAT!! I knew that we needed to get away. We took a much needed vacation in July. It was a fabulous Carnival Cruise to Ocho Rios, Jamaica, and Grand Cayman Island. However, we had to come back to reality, back to work, back to cooking, back to commuting. Ugh! I am so ready for another vacation pronto!

In September the kids went back to school. The girls started high school. This means that we have a longer, much earlier commute in the morning. I’m totally happy with their school. I mean.. it’s my alma mater. But YAWN!!! Chicago traffic in the mornings is driving me insane!!! This morning I truly thought that I was going to blow a gasket. I use Waze. It *usually* does not steer me wrong. But, lately? We leave the house, it says that we will get there at a certain time, early to school. But then? As I drive and traffic builds, so does our time to get there. Now… I might not be able to blame Waze for that. I should blame all of drivers, but that is another post!

Anyway, I never got to fully adjust to being back at work after 4 years off, before life starting throwing me all kinds of curve balls. And now I’m still adjusting to the new morning commute having my girls in school so far from home. I know my story is not a unique one. Tons of parents drive their kids to more than once school in the morning, go to work, and then do it all over the next day. But… I AM BEAT!!!

The good news is that the kids are thriving. The house is coming together. There will be more decorating posts coming up when I feel up to it. Right now? I find myself just trying to catch up on sleep as much as possible. Most days I am knocked out before 11pm! My saving grace has been relaxing baths, but I will be scheduling a much needed massage in the coming weeks! And… I think I’ll start planning a vacation!

There are a couple of other things that I need to change in my life that I’m sure will help my sanity and my energy level. It’s a work in progress. Meanwhile…

Calgon take me away! Wait… Carnival take me away!! Yeah, that’s the ticket.