Techs working from home, with young kids

[VHunter]

To those technicians working from home, who have young children not yet in school..... if you have a busy schedule... how do you find it?

Recently, my clientel has increased dramatically.
My hours are Monday to Sunday, 6pm to 10:30pm, and Saturdays during the day as well.
This equals 35hrs per week. The evenings, I'm booked SOLID all the time now. The Saturdays aren't full yet, but getting there.

Usually, at night my hubby watches the kids, and on saturdays, my mom and mother in law take turns for the time being with the kids. Once my saturdays are solidly full THEN I'll hire a sitter. (I refuse to pay for a sitter for only 1 to 3 clients in the day..... not worth it).

I also do Avon. (which isn't hugely time consuming EXCEPT that one morning/day of every campaign - every 2 to 3wks - I spend several hours packing the orders for clients, and doing their invoicing on the computer)

Then there's fundraising for the preschool and other related work (it's a co-op, so we all pitch in). My own housework. Accounting and ordering of stock etc for my own business, updating of site, research... (on top of the client hours).
Two nights a week, I have t-ball for my daughter, for which I need to be at the park, so that's 4hrs out of my schedule.
Two mornings a week, my daughter's have a playdate with friends.
Summer is here, they want to be outside OF COURSE.... and so if I'm at the park, I can't very well scrub a toilet or fold laundry.

Up until recently, I've managed just fine.
BUT now I'm finding I'm spreading myself too thin.

Hubby, I think, I has a death wish.:irked: Whilst I was scrubbing the small bathroom's floor the other night - ON HANDS AND KNEES LITERALLY - he had the ruddy nerve to complain I hadn't emptied any trashcans:!::irked::grr:
If I could have shot him, I likely would have!
Ordinarily, he's great... but lately... expecting far too much.

My girls are 3 and 5yrs old. NOT in school yet. One has preschool 3 mornings of the week and is back for lunch. But I have the other full time.
I simply can't find enough hours in a day.
In the last few weeks, housekeeping has slipped in a few areas.

How do you cope? Did you wind up hiring a sitter?

At this moment... I'm sitting here with Avon boxes waiting to be unpacked and bagged and invoiced for clients.
I have a load of laundry in the dryer calling my name and a bathroom that needs scrubbing... among other things

when business is full time, HOW do you manage to get everything done?

I'm feeling very overwhelmed this morning.
I don't like it when my house isn't up to par. It stresses me out. The ONLY time I have for "me" is around midnight on the computer. Otherwise, I'm with a client or with my kids or doing something around the house.

Example: Tomorrow morning I have 3 clients, then I go to the pre-school for a fundraising garage sale for which I have to do some work (AND I HAVE TO BAKE SOMETHING TODAY FOR IT), then I come home, make dinner for the monkeys THEN I have 2 more clients and oooooooooh, guess what? The day is over and it's 10/11pm at night.

I'm LOSING IT!

Any suggestions appreciated.
I'm looking at getting a 'cheap' pda IF I can... crossing fingers.... maybe if I can try to organize better?

Help, I'm drowning
:lol:

(ps: don't get me wrong, I'm LOVING the recent upswing in business, just feeling overwhelmed)

 

[Georgy]

Hi Victoria,

Geez girl, I think you might be right about speading yourself too thin. Well done for keeping ontop of most things, but it sounds like you might need to cut back somewhere.

I was working from home last year and I would have my clients after my son went to bed (but thats only 1 toddler) during the week and then would get my husband to sit for me some weekends. But it does get way too much too quickly. We are expecting another baby soon so I think the night work will have to wait.

How do u stay awake to do so many clients nails in 1 night? You are really running a fulltime business. How important is it to build up your business at the moment? What would you like to be able to do?

Cheers,

Georgy

 

[izzidoll]

Really glad to hear that your business is doing well and you are fully booked.

I didn't have young children and all that entails to cope with...but I was a bit overwhelmed when my business was busy and I had my training commitments. I was working 6 or 7 days a week and late night.

Housework only got done because my husband kept on top of it...and I would do what I could on a day off.

Marriage is teamwork so I think you need to sit down with your husband (between clients!!) and talk it through.
As your business has only really taken off in the past 6 or so weeks he probably hasn't realised how much you are doing.
Sit him down with your figures and show him what you are now doing and making, and let him know how much you would appreciate if he took on more responsibility about the house.
I am sure when he sees how much you are doing and how well you are doing he will be proud of you and all that you are now achieving, and will be only to happy to be more supportive. With the exception of the trash can incident he sounds a decent guy.
It's just that most men still need the blatantly obvious pointed out to them!!!

 

[weegirl]

Sounds like you need either to cut back or to hire some help.

You need to study your accounts (or get the advice of a good accountant) to see what you can afford. It may be best to hire some help for your business, leaving you free to pursue personal activities, or hire help in other areas if you want the more time with your family.

What about a childminder a couple of days a week? Most childminders will do some light housework as well, or even just a cleaner to take over the menial housekeeping duties a couple of mornings/evenings a week. It is amazing how much an experienced cleaner can do in a couple of hours, they can work so fast and all of that boring stuff won't be filling your head. You could pass on your accounts to an accountant as well if you wanted (although these guys can charge, I know, I am a retired chartered accountant lol).

You sound like to have enough on your plate, don't feel guilty about hiring some help. If you take on too much, you start to forget things, get uptight and everything suffers, including your health.

 

[VHunter]

Ordinarily... hubby is GREAT.
He'll pass a vaccuum occasionally on weekends without me saying a word, do some dusting... wash dishes after supper when I have clients. He always does ALL the yardwork including poop-scooping after the dog (I only do the gardening, flowers... that sort of thing)
BUT
Recently he had a job change. And because of all he has to learn, before the one he replaces goes on vacation... and because of how short staffed they are (one quit the day after he was hired), he's been putting in crazy hours of 7am to 5pm for the last two weeks. WHICH translates into him leaving at 6am, getting home at 6pm.
He's trying, REALLY he is.
BUT (and you knew there was another 'but', right?)
He's tired. he's stressed out. He's feeling overwhelmed too, and so, not doing as much as he ordinarily does AND he's griping about silly issues (whoopty doo if the can is full, empty it then:irked
He never cooks. Doesn't do laundry. IF he does do the bathroom.... well, his efforts require me to go back in there and 'finish' it properly (we have a 3 floor cottage style semi-detached house = 2 bathrooms, 3 bedrooms, 2 living rooms, kitchen/dining room, and a laundry/storage room). He never puts away the girl's laundry because he can never remember who's is who's, and as Cailin is so tall, it's hard to tell her shirts or similar from Mereena's. He mixes up my socks with Mereena's (she has big feet, I have little ones LOL).... IF I let him put away laundry.. he botches it all up :lol:

I'm happy.
I'm not miserable.
Just ummmmm TIRED :lol: and trying to figure it all out.

I'll definately have a talk with him. Something has got to give... and MAYBE I'll just hire a teenager that I know to come in now and then and do vaccuuming and such so I just have to put things away, dishes and laundry? Ya know? Once a week? for 25$ which isn't much and the equivalent of one client?

Thanks everyone!
NOW I'm off to do my avon LOL AND THEN bake something (still don't know what yet LOL) AND THEN hunt up stuff to donate for the garage sale to raise funds for the pre-k.
:lol:

 

[VHunter]

Sounds like you need either to cut back or to hire some help.

You need to study your accounts (or get the advice of a good accountant) to see what you can afford. It may be best to hire some help for your business, leaving you free to pursue personal activities, or hire help in other areas if you want the more time with your family.

What about a childminder a couple of days a week? Most childminders will do some light housework as well, or even just a cleaner to take over the menial housekeeping duties a couple of mornings/evenings a week. It is amazing how much an experienced cleaner can do in a couple of hours, they can work so fast and all of that boring stuff won't be filling your head. You could pass on your accounts to an accountant as well if you wanted (although these guys can charge, I know, I am a retired chartered accountant lol).

You sound like to have enough on your plate, don't feel guilty about hiring some help. If you take on too much, you start to forget things, get uptight and everything suffers, including your health.

You're so very right. BUT can't afford an accountant by any stretch of the imagination. Up until MOST recently, we've been struggling to meet expenses. So, now we play "catch up" with my recent increase in salary WHICH first will pay off some debts incurred to build the business. PLUS we have intentions of me getting a 2nd hand car... WHICH WE NEED desperately to be able to bring girls to dr's appointments and other such things. IF I had a car, I could get the groceries done and other such things (yes, hubby does groceries, not me.)

I am seriously looking at getting the girls into a part-time subsidized daycare (which translates into 7$ a day each)... but spots for part-timers are few and far between and private for the two of them is 50$ or more a day.

I guess what I wondered most is if other mom's find it as hard as I do myself, and I wondered if I wasn't crazy or if it really is too much for one person?

Thanks again!
Ok, really gotta get cracking now! LOL Lots to do today.
:hug::hug::hug: to everyone (I miss being here!!!:cry

 

[melissaq]

I would suggest you get out a calendar and write down everything you need to do and how long it takes you to do them.........then show hubby so he can "see" how busy.......then schedule your time .......say 2 hours for avon, whatever hours you work for nails.....( have a set time )example = tell clients I'm open monday-sun..... morning at 9-11....and then in the evenings 6-10.....and make them pick appointments within those times......no straying.....
also how about taking every other Saturday off to catch up?.......
Have set hours for house cleaning.....
Play dates......certain days and time .....
ect........

when I lived in the States I worked at two different shops...I had 2 of my 3 children still living with me ,hubby,dog,workout time,church,schooling......and I had to time manage everything! ......when I listed it ...it was far easier to schedule things ......and to stick to it .......

 

[IllumeGirl]

The most important thing is to remember YOU. Be kind to yourself and do say no occasionally to people outside of you family (including clients).
Dont ignore the warning signs of being over loaded and remember to invest time into your marriage and kids..at the end of the day they and you are the most important. The best things in life are free!:hug:

 

[Curzy]

I was in a very similar position to you last year. The whole situation bought on depression and burn out. I have been going to the Priory on a weekly basis since January to sort myself out.

You have got to do something as you are going to make yourself ill. I too used to get really bothered if my house wasn't nice and tidy and clean but over time I have come around to the fact that if it isn't its not the end of the world. Just because the house is messy doesn't make you a bad person, a failure, bad mother etc, it just makes you a busy person with two kids and a hard working job. I felt that I had failed if everything was not quite right in the house.

Basically with me, something had to give and I decided it was the house. Dont get me wrong, i dont live in a pig sty, but the house is not perfect anymore.

My husband also started to help out more. Basically i told him if he didn't help I would get even more ill and wouldn't be able to do anything. I think this shocked him into doing something.

At the start of each month we sit down and write a list of everything which needs to be done. We then split this up between us and stick to it. My husband too goes out at 7.30 and returns at 6.20pm everyday. This is his permanent hours. It is amazing what he can actually fit in. He has realised that he may be tired, but the way things were going on, I was basically cracking up.

I really do wish you well. It sounds that you are really good at your job due to your client growth so good luck.

Just one other thing, are the other mums at the school working full time hours and baking cakes? Just a thought where you could cut back.

Best wishes

Nicki

 

[Angelaznailz]

Hi,
Don't beat yourself up - you're doing a fabulous job. My advice, for what it's worth, is to PRIORITISE !
My kids are 19 (working 2 weeks on ship, 2 weeks off) & 16 & about to go leave home & go to college and I wish I had taken a bit more time with them when they were younger. (Is it just me, or is that a common guilt thingy that ALL mothers suffer from ?) I dread the coming of the 'empty nest syndrome' and know I'll long for the chaotic, manic and untidy house that I'm used to.
The washing and dishes and cleaning and tidying will still be there when your kids are sleeping. Do it then.
I'm an early riser (unfortunately I just can't lie in bed if there's something to be done) and I get up about half an hour or so before everyone else, and get the house straightened up then. It's surprising what you can get done when you've got peace.......
IMO I'd dump the Avon - my sister does it and for what she gets in return, she could make the same from a couple of clients - but with a lot less hassle or stress (i.e. wrong orders, short orders, missed payments etc etc.) She just doesn't want to let down her regulars, so she continues with it although she could see it far enough.......
Anyway, whatever you do, please take time for yourself.
You're family will fall apart if you do.........:hug:

 

[VHunter]

Well, I bit the bullet and spent money I didn't have (but will soon make LOL) and bought a refurbished Palm Tungsten E2 (pda) that's compatible with Outlook (120$ instead of 350$)
soooooooooooo
I can input EVERYTHING and keep track of EVERYTHING (personal and business)
AND
set reminders/alarms etc...

AND
Re-organize my life and set some sort of routine, that should help (in regards to housekeeping). Before, with the house, I did it as it needed to be done, daily. Now with my schedule, that doesn't work. So, I've decided that this day will be this and that day will be that, and the other thing. Certain rooms certain days and oh well if it gets messy before its next assigned day. TOO BAD :lol: Dishes and laundyr OBVIOUSLY will be done as needed hehe

I will start saying NO more often.

I'm trying to find a subsidized daycare where I can put the girls 2days a week THAT ALSO has hours to suit the times my hubby is travelling to and from work. Easier said than done :cry: Most are only 9 to 5pm. Too late and too early for drop-off's and pick-ups. Ahh well, we'll have to double down and get me a car somehow.

I also decided that I will NOT dash for the phone each time it rings. I will LET THE MACHINE get it, if I'm in the middle of a chore and call back. That IS what machines are for, right? It's all fine and dandy to have a cordless phone, and to scrub a toilet while yacking BUT it does slow you down :o

Up until now, as far as my kids and client hours, we had a firm routine.
It was the rest of my life that was all over the place. NOW I'M CRACKING DOWN!
lol:lol:

and YES
I will DEFINATELY slot myself some time, once a week OR I WILL GO CRACKERS.
I'm sooo tired.:|

Re : Avon.
My "partner" whom I do it with, she's preggers now, and we've been best friends since grade 3 elementary. I don't want to leave her in the lurch when the new baby comes along (btw, I'm the one throwing the shower, her mom passed 2yrs ago:cry: and her sister in law screwed up the wedding shower so I'm DETERMINED that this shower is a HUGE SUCCESS!!!)
I need to keep the avon since I use so much of it, as does my mother in law (who's on a fixed income) and for us, much of the stuff that we 'could' get elsewhere is cheaper for us with Avon ESPECIALLY when we combine sale prices with my rebate (40%) Example: mascara on sale at $2.95 - 40% VERSUS 12$ plus tax in the store????
It's more those 3 or so hours every 3wks... I can squeeze that in.. I think LOL

THANKS AGAIN.
Once I get this sorted, I'll share what I did to make it work, and what didn't work.
Maybe we can all learn from it?
it certainly is insane though LOL

If anyone has any other secrets, PLEASE share!! (like where to get a housecleaning fairy with a good wand? LOL)

:hug::hug::hug: to everyone