After a long day ‘at the office’, which is also her home, Annie Ridout started questioning why she’d worked such a long day and missed out on a fun afternoon with friends. And then she was reminded…
Sometimes I sit at my ‘desk’ (kitchen table, or – more likely – a squashy sofa propped up with lots of cushions) and work non-stop for hours. Like yesterday, when I set up at 9.30am and didn’t close my laptop until 9.30pm. I took a few 10-minute breaks.
But every now and again, I think: why am I doing this? What’s it all for? Do I need to work this much? Should I shut the computer and go to the pub with our friends instead? (To be honest, if I wasn’t pregnant I almost certainly would go to the pub rather than work). I find I need to recalibrate, though.
The reason I’m doing it is because my career is more exciting right now than it’s ever been before. The courses are selling well, I’m writing articles about things I truly believe in and care about and there’s a book deal in the pipeline.
This doesn’t mean work should be at the expense of everything else; it shouldn’t. Family first. Friends next. And then work. People matter more than anything. But then again, I’m meeting so many amazing people through my work too.
But last night, after a three-hour wake-up with our son who was being sick – every time we drifted off, he’d throw up again – I got up with my daughter at 7am. She wanted to watch TV, which we don’t normally allow in the mornings but I thought I’d have a rest.
I couldn’t sleep so instead, I pulled out my laptop to review yesterday’s work and remembered that I’d finished writing my new online course: ‘How to launch a successful online course‘. I read through it and thought: this is going to be really useful for people,
And that was another reminder about why I do the graft; because it pays off. When you can see that you’ve created something of value, that will inspire and help people in some way, it feels blimmin’ good.
To celebrate, I decided not to work when my son napped today and to have lunch in a greasy spoon with my daughter instead. We chatted, ate filthy grub and drank drinks you probably shouldn’t let your kids have – or drink yourself.* And the vibe was high.
*Not booze.
Check out my ‘how to launch a successful online course’ online course. Starts 5th August 2019.