Thursday 21 April 2011

.house-wifey.

Here's the thing...running your own business and working from home is awesome.  When I started selling my sewing patterns, I never did intend to make a business of it, but over time things have fallen nicely into place and now I find myself "working" from home and contributing to the family bills.  With any kind of commitment, comes work though.  Unfortunately I don't sit around and sew all day (ah, wouldn't that be great?!).  Aside from the usual day to day jobs that come with being a wife and mother, I spend many hours on the computer answering emails, working out finances, writing up patterns, not to mention keeping the blog updated and things running over on Facebook.  There is lots to think about every single day.  I love it though.  If I didn't love it, I wouldn't be doing it.

But sometimes I miss the old me.  The me with had a baby or two at home, got bored because there was "nothing to do", managed to take a walk every day without feeling like it was wasting precious time,  the me who would cook for the sake of it, sit on the couch and watch a bit of midday telly and read a magazine in the afternoon.  It was pretty cruisy back then!  

So yesterday I declared it "house-wifey" day.  I didn't do anything "work" related.  I got the kids up at the bench and we cooked cheese and bacon scrolls followed by caramel popcorn together.  There was delicious chicken noodle soup for dinner and some of Clare's scrumptious rocky road to finish it off.  Then I went with Mum to visit a sick friend.  Came home and did a bit of housework and sat on the couch and read with the kids for awhile.  I felt like I had accomplished a lot, my mind was refreshed and it didn't matter that there were still a gazillion emails sitting unanswered and I hadn't worked out the tricky bit on my new pattern.
Next time I'm feeling over it, I'm scheduling another "house-wifey" day - kinda like taking a sickie from work but I feel good!
Actually, today is turning out to be a bit "house-wifey" too - I'm about to turn this 10kg of tomatoes into fresh pasta sauce and stock up the freezer because after making fresh pasta sauce in the thermomix, I don't want to eat it from a jar again.  Maybe I'll have a go at making some relish or tomato sauce while I'm at it - yum!
 
P.S. If you used to be my friend on Facebook, sorry I ditched you.  For many reasons, I've been mad at Facebook lately.  Although I didn't ever write much on my personal wall, I did procrastinate my time and have a browse around a couple of times a day when I should have been doing something else. I didn't like how when I saw someone in real life, I wouldn't have anything to talk to them about because I had already read it all. 
I am however, happy to keep going with my Make It Perfect Facebook page - I like the personal contact I can have with people who support me in my business and find it is a quick and easy way to get answers to questions.  If I deleted my personal account, I couldn't keep my Make It Perfect page, so I decided to unfriend everybody and will no longer keep my personal page going.  So if you need to talk to me, lets chat in real life - or you could call me - or send me an email!  It feels good to be rid of another thing on the computer that has been eating away at my time.
P.P.S. If you are Facebook-lover, I'm not judging you...it just isn't working for me...each to their own.

16 comments:

Kate said...

Toni, housewife day is BRILLIANT!!!
I am really finding it hard to balance being a Mum and wife and domestic goddess (ha), working on the Daylesford Organics business, and my own little Everything but business. I call myself a work at home/stay at home Mum but I never stop any more.
As soon as the girls go back to school I am scheduling a housewife day.
Thanks for the push I needed. x

Early Years Toolbox said...

I can totally relate to everything you have just written Toni.I long for those days so am currently in the process of eliminating a couple of things from my life too so I can have a few more of them. Good on you.

Cara Tatnell said...

I totally understand and dig this blog entry. I recently deactiviated my facebook page for about 4 weeks.
The break was great..what a time waster it can be and I agree it alters the way we then socialise in person. I would meet people in the street or clients of my business and I would know everything about their lives already and talk about to them as though I was nosey parker !!
As i had my tan bar business page on there I still deactiviated but made my mum and admin of my bus page so i could still log in under her and not be tempted to stalk my facebook wall every day !
I am very inspired by "house wifey" day and think I will have one soon... thanks so much for the inspiration!

The Kings said...

As much as I would be loving making some money somehow (still can't work out how yet!) I'm very grateful for the way I get to spend my days right now :) Glad you got to have a day off :)

Anna said...

You've just perfectly summed up my FB feeling I've been trying to formulate for ages. I couldn't get rid of it as I use the email part as one of my major communication channels, but am really uncomfortable with the stalking part of it. Sometimes I feel smothered by it. Good on you for taking the step.

jodie said...

Toni, I have often wondered how other people do it. I find it so hard to turn off, there is always more to do isn't there?-
Maybe i need to schedule a day of housewifery as well.
thanks

Anonymous said...

Even though I have often fantasised about being a WAHM, I love being just a house wifey wife and playing to my own tune....the demands of my family are enough to keep me occupied full time at the moment :)
Hats off to you for scheduling some down time.

emjay1000 said...

I know just how you feel!!!! Great you can take a break!!

Unknown said...

If you hadn't mentioned pruning your FB friends list I would never have noticed!!!! That's because I keep up with your Make it perfect FB page instead lol!

I only use my FB page for emails and occasional posts and to keep in contact. I killed all the apps long ago and the amount of time I saved is amazing :D :D

I'm about to start with the material selection on the jacket in your book...I'll let you know eventually how it turns out :D

Sarah said...

I'm the opposite I find that my days are too house wifey and not enough workey at the moment lol I know workey isn't a realy word. But I know that I will soon feel the other way around as I will be working as an in home Educarer. Something I am very passionate about. I think I will be dedicating a house wifey day of my own once a month atleast.

ps home made pasta sauce is the best. I will be making up green tomato relish as my tomatos are still fruiting and I need to pull them out so I can plant my winter veges next week.

The undomesticated scientist said...

wish my boss would let me have house-wifey days! i could do with a weeks worth just to get the house straight! its not going to happen any time soon though so i'll have to live with the strange smells that come from my carpet (potty training and spilt milk smells!) and the general dust level till i can wangle a sneeky day off!

Rebecca said...

ahhhh toni - I feel bad I sent you an email now!!! anyways - i also have forever hated that aspect of facebook - and blog land too - all that non-personal contact so good on you!! And the relish sounds good!!

Melinda said...

How funny, I took a mental health day yesterday too! I ditched the computer until evening, took my walk, taught my girls a crochet stitch... it was totally refreshing and I feel ready to go again today! I am also not a fan of FB, so I like your idea. I was never sure if dumping my personal page would allow me to keep my business page, now I know. I'll have to think about that, I never check in anyway... ;)

randi said...

good for you, toni! i really think this is a great idea. sometimes i feel a little sad when i think of all the crafts and stuff i made with my older girls. my younger ones aren't quite getting the same time with me. also, my house could use some attention in the cleaning department. a housewifey will be in my future, for sure!

Emily said...

Love your housewife day idea! I say it should get scheduled regularly. I also feel similarly about facebook but haven't ditched it yet.

Anna said...

so glad you took a day off. :) you certainly deserve it!

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