Day 17: Write about something you feel grateful for in your life today.
Plain and simple...Today I'm grateful I somehow got lucky enough to piece three jobs together to make one full-time paycheck.
Let me explain...
Our lovely economy has made it so people like me (in the marketing profession) are either not necessary budget items anymore or are primarily being outsourced. Therefore, companies are getting rid of their in-house marketing departments and when they find it IS needed...turn to consultants...like me. No benefits. No stock options. No office space. Less liability. All good for them. Not for us.
Companies who are slowly adding marketing back into their corporate structure know what they can get away with. We 'marketing people' are desperate for a job and therefore, supply-and-demand gives the advantage to the companies. In other words...we are not getting paid NEAR what we used to be or what our skills and experience is worth. Again...not cool.
So, back to the three jobs in one. I'm lucky enough to have made and kept contacts who have been wonderful enough to keep me employed. One is 'just' substituting at my kids school. It allows me to be part of their day-to-day world every now and then and they absolutely love it when they know I'm in the building. Check. Thankful to have it.
The other is the marketing consulting business I started six or so years ago for builders and developers which has now turned into a developer, river outfitter in south Texas and hobby shop in Plano. This part of my job allows for my creative outlet. Plus, these clients are also friends and I take their marketing very personally. So...Check. Thankful for this, too.
Finally, I just started a job that I've committed 20 hours a week to and it's looking more like it's going to be 30 hours a week. The great part of this is I already possess the skills to do this job (internet marketing mainly, along with some general real estate marketing) and it has benefits. Hard to find these days. And, the kicker...still allows me to work from home. Obviously, Major Check! Grateful for this.
However, all this put together means less time dedicated to my family. Or does it? Example: Ben had a play date yesterday after school so Shelby was here with 'nothing to do' and I had work I had to finish. I had two computers going in front of me and just looked at my sweet daughter on the couch. All I wanted to do was curl up with her.
Instead, what I did was work. Which was also for her. I will say I took 10-15 minutes to sit with her, read a new book she got, find out about her day (the parts that didn't get divulged on the way home), explained again what I was doing and found that worked. I realized as I sat back in front of my computers that what I was doing was also for her and was even teaching her something. Even though it wasn't nearly as fun as hugging her and laughing about the brainless Jonas Brothers episode that was on television. Nonetheless, it was important and responsible (yuck! Adult lingo!) and was going to have to be content that I had explained to her why I had to finish this and then she'd have my complete attention.
I told her when I was done I'd turn off my computers and that the attention I had been giving to work, would then go to her. Score.
She was fine with that. "Thanks Momma. I love you so much and I'll wait."
Ahhhhhhhh. So grateful. Even for the humdrum that's allowing me to be 'responsible'.
So, I'm grateful I'm able to see the forest for the trees, so to speak. I'm grateful I know just because I may have less hours in the day to dedicate to things I need to do at home, I also know I need to be more efficient with my time and make the time I do have more 'quality-oriented'.
I'm grateful my computer and phone have an off-switch so I'm able to flip the on-switch to my family. I'm learning balance.
Plain and simple...Today I'm grateful I somehow got lucky enough to piece three jobs together to make one full-time paycheck.
Let me explain...
Our lovely economy has made it so people like me (in the marketing profession) are either not necessary budget items anymore or are primarily being outsourced. Therefore, companies are getting rid of their in-house marketing departments and when they find it IS needed...turn to consultants...like me. No benefits. No stock options. No office space. Less liability. All good for them. Not for us.
Companies who are slowly adding marketing back into their corporate structure know what they can get away with. We 'marketing people' are desperate for a job and therefore, supply-and-demand gives the advantage to the companies. In other words...we are not getting paid NEAR what we used to be or what our skills and experience is worth. Again...not cool.
So, back to the three jobs in one. I'm lucky enough to have made and kept contacts who have been wonderful enough to keep me employed. One is 'just' substituting at my kids school. It allows me to be part of their day-to-day world every now and then and they absolutely love it when they know I'm in the building. Check. Thankful to have it.
The other is the marketing consulting business I started six or so years ago for builders and developers which has now turned into a developer, river outfitter in south Texas and hobby shop in Plano. This part of my job allows for my creative outlet. Plus, these clients are also friends and I take their marketing very personally. So...Check. Thankful for this, too.
Finally, I just started a job that I've committed 20 hours a week to and it's looking more like it's going to be 30 hours a week. The great part of this is I already possess the skills to do this job (internet marketing mainly, along with some general real estate marketing) and it has benefits. Hard to find these days. And, the kicker...still allows me to work from home. Obviously, Major Check! Grateful for this.
However, all this put together means less time dedicated to my family. Or does it? Example: Ben had a play date yesterday after school so Shelby was here with 'nothing to do' and I had work I had to finish. I had two computers going in front of me and just looked at my sweet daughter on the couch. All I wanted to do was curl up with her.
Instead, what I did was work. Which was also for her. I will say I took 10-15 minutes to sit with her, read a new book she got, find out about her day (the parts that didn't get divulged on the way home), explained again what I was doing and found that worked. I realized as I sat back in front of my computers that what I was doing was also for her and was even teaching her something. Even though it wasn't nearly as fun as hugging her and laughing about the brainless Jonas Brothers episode that was on television. Nonetheless, it was important and responsible (yuck! Adult lingo!) and was going to have to be content that I had explained to her why I had to finish this and then she'd have my complete attention.
I told her when I was done I'd turn off my computers and that the attention I had been giving to work, would then go to her. Score.
She was fine with that. "Thanks Momma. I love you so much and I'll wait."
Ahhhhhhhh. So grateful. Even for the humdrum that's allowing me to be 'responsible'.
So, I'm grateful I'm able to see the forest for the trees, so to speak. I'm grateful I know just because I may have less hours in the day to dedicate to things I need to do at home, I also know I need to be more efficient with my time and make the time I do have more 'quality-oriented'.
I'm grateful my computer and phone have an off-switch so I'm able to flip the on-switch to my family. I'm learning balance.
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