It’s All About Balance!
As I’m writing this I’m sitting in the office of my former employer, borrowing their Internet. After a horrible Thursday this week, having spent 7 hours trying to sort out why I suddenly lost my Internet connection, buying a new modem and still not getting back online I was close to tears out of pure frustration.
So much so that I wanted to throw my laptop against the next wall and just curl up in bed and never wake up again. LOL.
I really had the most crappy day then and the fact that I had deadlines didn’t help.
Luckily for my offline connections (this just shows why you should always part in good agreements), I was able to become a temporary addition to my former boss’s office. Unfortunately my offline friends don’t have Internet so I was getting pretty desperate by 5 PM.
So I’m sitting here, working my business around the lack of Internet availability at my home until the problem gets sorted and mull over what I’ve learned from this.
It’s all in the balance
My biggest issue has always been creating balance in my life. See, I’m a person of extremes and I happily admit that. Whatever I put my mind to, I go for it 100%. There is no space for anything else and this creates a huge vacuum in my life as I constantly lack the balance needed for over health.
Sure signs that your freelance writing lifestyle lacks health
I know for a fact that my freelance writing lifestyle lacks health. For starters, I put on a fair amount of weight since I started writing, due to the fact that I’m sitting down all day, every day.
I also eat all the wrong foods, because I hate cooking for myself. (I know, a shocking statement from an ex-chef). So I pick all day. I pick on things that are not particularly healthy since they taste way better, which doesn’t help my health at all.
Another lack of balance is the constant exhaustion I feel. I seriously need a long holiday but at this stage I cannot leave my business for lengthy amount of times.
Many freelancers struggle with exactly the same scenarios. Acknowledging this is always a good start from which we can advance further to create balance in our life.
Running into this Internet problem has made me stop and smell the roses, as I spend mornings and evenings without an Internet connection right now. I have to cram all my work into the space of about 7 hours, opposed to the usual 10+ I’m working online.
Making changes
It actually feels weird not being able to jump online at any given time in the day and I consciously have to make myself relax. I also realize that I’m at an important junction. Kind of like a last minute warning from my body to take action now or else….
Even though it is annoying, I have taken this lesson with open arms and made a conscious decision to change my freelance writing lifestyle to a more balanced one.
It will help me to enjoy myself even more.
How about you? Do you experience the same problems, or have you managed to create balance by changing certain aspects of your day to day business runnings? I’d love to find out.
Thanks Monika
About the Author: I'm a passionate freelance writer and problogger. To further build my business I'm also in the process of building my own niche empire which pays me residual income.
Jenny Burr | May 10, 2008 | Reply
Hi Monika
I agree, it is about balance. Taking the time to write, be healthy, and do all of our other jobs. I have been reading your posts for a little while now but this is the first time I’ve left a comment.
Thank you.
ebele | May 11, 2008 | Reply
Oh, babes, I totally understand the frustration – I had the same problem months back with my ISP – it was a nightmare. Sorry you’re having a grrrr time, but it’ll sort itself out, and there is a lesson in there somewhere.
In terms of balance, I wouldn’t say I’m there at all. There was a lot of me to hold before, and now, there’s a whole lot more
I’m always on the computer. I need to work more efficiently, manage my time better, or else I might start morphing into a frikkin computer. (’Woman Morphs Into PC’ – not the kind of thing you wanna watch on Oprah. ‘Woman Grows Own Mango Tree on the Head of a Memory Stick’ – now that’s more like it
)
Brett Legree | May 11, 2008 | Reply
Monika,
I felt your pain when you told me about it the other day, because like you I’m so plugged in, but right now (soon to change!) I’m not depending on it for my business.
Frustrating for sure. And then, we can take a positive lesson from it.
Like a few weeks ago, email and Blackberries were down at my workplace.
Awesome. We got so much *real* work done.
For my own personal stuff at home, I have a daily schedule – which I’ve slipped from – but I will be back on it tomorrow.
It will be great.
Thanks for sharing your story, my friend.
-Brett
Monika | May 11, 2008 | Reply
@ Jenny: Thank you for taking the time to comment. Being healthy is my next step I guess. My problem is that I get so absorbed into what I do that I totally forget to eat, exercise and what not.
Then the day is gone and another one starts. But no more excuses now, onwards I go.
Monika | May 11, 2008 | Reply
@ Ebele: Hahaha..you crack me up woman. I can just picture the both of us growing screens out of our heads. Not.
The “more to hold on to” is a cute way of saying I gained more weight as well. Perhaps we could also rephrase that and say more to love. LOL.
Yes, *sniffs, the balance. The all elusive factor in my life.
Monika | May 11, 2008 | Reply
@ Brett: you are welcome. I guess I learned from this mishap and that is all that matters really. Plus I am online after all, just not at home.
It’s actually kind of fun now since I’m meeting my old workmates and enjoy seeing John at work more often too. As long as it lasts anyway.
Friar | May 11, 2008 | Reply
Monika
I feel like such a slacker compared to all of you.
I have a regular job working 37.5 hours a week. That’s the only thing I HAVE to do, except for a bit of housework.
But aside from that, I have the luxury of doing what I want, when I want.
I realize I’m extremely lucky, because I have a good income and I’m single with no kids. This gives me plenty of free time. Not everyone is like this.
But there was a time when I wasn’t so balanced. When I did my PhD, I worked my butt off for years…it was living hell at times. Towards the end, I was a basket case, it affected my health and I was got sicker by the month.
I was so burned out to this day I wonder if I’ve ever recovered.
When it was all said and done, I swore to myself that I’d NEVER work THAT HARD…ever again. And I haven’t.
My life is relatively balanced right now. Except for my job (with really SUCKS) I like where I am.
My next project is to fix my work situation. But that will come with time. (I guess you can’t always have it all at once, eh?
Friar | May 11, 2008 | Reply
Argh! I wrote a nice long comment, I don’t know if it got thru.
I’ll wait a while, and see if it didnt’ get swallowed up in N-space.
Mike | May 12, 2008 | Reply
Man…I know how that feels. I just bought a new HP PC and the new Windows Mail was working and I do most of my online business via email…ugh! I even paid $200 for Best Buy to do my data transfer and they screwed that up too. Needless to say, 3 trips to Best Buy (30 minute drive) didn’t solve the problem. I got online and figured it out myself.
Having your livelihood be online can be quite nerve wracking to say the least.
Kelly@SHE-POWER | May 12, 2008 | Reply
Monika
I can completely relate to this post as I have had more than my fair share of internet issues recently, but in the end it all worked out for the best because most were blog related and I realized I was worrying too much about my blog and not enough about getting my work done (I’m a freelance copy writer)and my family prepared for our upcoming European vacation.
I also tend to be a person of extremes and having a child has really been a kick up the rear end in terms of trying to find balance in life. I can’t afford to wear myself out with work or “my” stuff anymore because there’s a 4 year old who needs my attention and he won’t be this young and interested in me forever!
I also put on loads of weight when I started working from home, but I’ve peeled 10kg off now due to prioritizing exercise as part of my week. It’s not easy, particularly when I’m tired or on deadline, but it’s worth it in the long run.
Hope your online hassles are over now.
Kelly
Monika | May 12, 2008 | Reply
@ Friar: you don’t have to feel bad about what you do or not do. After all we all make choices and after making them we have to live with the consequences.
I just happened to hate working for a boss and now I really love what I do, even though I do struggle with my balance right now. But I also know that this will change as I become better at juggling things.
Like you, we chose not to have kids (god knows how I’d run my business, look after my feathered babies and try to cram in exercise if I had kids.)
I’m sure you’ll get your job situation sorted too as you sound like a man with a plan. LOL, that even rimes.
I appreciate your coming here and share with us too. Sorry about the comment being “jammed”. Between my Internet troubles (which are now thankfully sorted) and my spam folder (you are good to go from now on) it took longer than usual.
Monika | May 12, 2008 | Reply
@ Mike: yes, I so agree. This fiasco made me realize how precious our life really is and how much we rely on technology.
Tech problems are the worst for me since I’m really a techno-phobic. Basically lost when things like that happen. LOL.
At least I got some time off while being forced to be offline too which helped me to see that I can run this business with less time spent online too.
In the end it is all good.
Monika | May 12, 2008 | Reply
@ Kelly: thanks for your kind words. Yes, gladly I’m back on track. I kind of felt naked without the net which is a sad state of affair.
Having kids is a lot of work. I can see this with my various friends who do have toddlers and like you say, they are only little for so long.
Making the best out of it and learning to prioritize is as important for you as it is for me and everybody else for that matter.
I remember reading about your big upcoming adventure. WOW, this sounds like it’s going to be awesome! Three months on the road. I’m getting itchy feet just hearing that.
When is the big day? I wish you the best of times, enjoy every minute and stay safe.
Alfa king | May 12, 2008 | Reply
I can understand what you mean. You just need to keep your head on your shoulders. Prioritise things; you just can’t do everything all the time. Certain things need to go on hold. It’s all about managing your time and business. Revisit your activities and get better organised. The “balance” will find its way.
Monika | May 12, 2008 | Reply
@ Alfa: you are so right. While I thought I was organized well, I think if I’m honest with myself I’m not. Because if I was I wouldn’t struggle with my balance.
While I manage my time in business well and stay on track with all that has to be done, other things like health fall short. I just have to learn to prioritize the right way.
Thank you for the helpful words. Thanks to all of you I see what matters and what doesn’t.
Wendi Kelly | May 13, 2008 | Reply
Monika,
Balance is one of those tricky things. In fact I just posted about it too. It’s one of the things I have to go back to over and over again.
I say good luck to both of us!!!
Monika | May 13, 2008 | Reply
@ Wendi: tricky it is, do we must. May the force be with the both of us.
Brent Crouch | May 14, 2008 | Reply
I need to learn this lesson….actually, I know this lesson, I just need to apply it.
I need to loose a good 25 pounds. I’m just so tied into my online projects, I don’t make time to do the things I need to make my life healthier.
I usually neglect eating all day long. I usually eat one meal a day. At this point, I just eat too much and the wrong things.