Find Balance and Do what you love
Since the beginning of the new year I have taken a big break from working on my website or even considering adding any new blog posts. I have been really struggling with ideas on subjects to focus my blogs on and I didn't want to do the cliche thing and select topics that everyone else has already done, I figured that every week I am learning and creating something new so I am going to share my day to day with you, from the new business tips to the juggling of parenting and work. So here it goes to week one, just a little disclaimer that this first entry is not business related but a small insight to the last few months.
Just to give you a deep dive into my situation I am currently writing this with my one year hanging off of my neck I have a lot less time than what I used to as its important to me to give him enough time out of my day.
I have been stuck in a rut for a long time and some days felt like I was in a really dark place, to be honest I think I was going through a early life crisis, my mindset is usually always positive the idea that things will always work out in the end, but the last few months I had been really struggling to see this. I was seriously considering closing my business, sales had really dropped because I no longer had time to work on it. My main job had become all time consuming and it was leaving me with no time to be the mum or the person who I wanted to be. It’s a strange concept to comprehend that your life is based on the decisions that you make and you are the only one who can change that direction but it is so very true. I wanted to make a change and I decided that in the new year I was going to release myself of all the things that were making me unhappy and that needed to begin with me leaving one of my main sources of income.
Now this is a scary concept when you’re a parent with a huge mortgage to pay you can’t just get up and leave, on top of that my job was as a teacher, I did not have the conventional 4 weeks’ notice. I had to give a term which for me was around 4 months this would mean handing my notice in before I got another secure job, which is what I did.
My equation for life is 90% hard work 10% luck and this definitely came into play during my notice period I focused on redoing my CV and job hunting and creating a plan A, B and C.
My plan B, supply teaching became my A plan for several months. I ensured that I was signed up and registered to several supply agencies ready to start work after I left my teaching role. But I was also lucky enough to be offered a day’s work lecturing at a University through an amazing person who mentored me when I first started my business through the Princes Trust Charity.
Supply teaching (at secondary school ) was a eye opener I was so nervous to leave a secure job for a unsecure role, but it made me realise several things.
- I made the right decision to leave I had more headspace at the end of the day to be a better mum and get the buzz back to run my business.
- It doesn't matter where you teach the grass isn't greener and you are still walking into a battle field every day you either stay and commit to it or leave. (This is mainly for secondary school. University teaching differs but also has its challenges)
- Temp work with a small child was not as worrying as what I initially expected. I managed to get work every day and have it pre booked it usually was a week in advance and all managed easily through an app which allowed me to manage childcare! Ultimately though I knew this was not a lifelong career for me but a path I currently had to take to get to where I wanted to be.
Fast forward a few months and I have secured a permanent post still in education but not teaching. (Although I am still teaching that one day at the University.) I have a better work life balance, clear headspace, happiness and the anxiety I always used to get on a Sunday night before school has gone.
For anyone that feels lost within their workspace I would recommend reading the book what color is your parachute by Richard Nelson Bolles this book really supported me with identifying my work skills, career goals and updating my CV.
My moral to this is you have to make those leaps to get over the humps it does always work out in the end you just have to keep going.