Playing Catch {Up}

How did you spend Memorial day weekend?

Did you take advantage of shopping sales at local retailers?

Did you hang out by the pool with you family?

Did you barbecue a picnic feast and cool off with watermelon and mint tea?

Image via Herbal Healing

We did a little of everything mentioned above.  Yet, in the midst of the weekend, I took a day to get away and get caught up on the mounds of work that had piled up in the wake of a consistent surge of business this spring and just plain ol’ life.

All in all, I probably spent close to sixteen hours over the weekend just getting caught up on patient paperwork and creating sixty-to-eighty more presentation slides for my upcoming lectures in China in a few weeks. (Eep!  It’s only in a few weeks!)

At the urging of several older and wiser women who strongly suggested I take a day or two and get away so I could focus–without interruption–on my slides (that still needed to be translated into mandarin Chinese).

Finally, I took the suggestion to heart–my family conceded to “let me go” and I stayed at a local hotel for one night where I could work as late as I needed (wee hours of the morning), keep the room temperature to my liking, and take a workout break to move and give my brain a break.

One other mini-break was greatly accepted when my family skyped me for quick call before my son’s bedtime.  It was like a little dress rehearsal before I’m away from them for several days while traveling and teaching in China later this summer.

In the morning, I let the sun gently wake me up–I did not get much sleep–but I had twelve hours of work behind me.  Once I got home, I tucked my computer away, and lounged at the pool with family and friends for the remainder of the afternoon.

Then, I could ACTUALLY relax.  I felt like I’d earned it–and there was no way I could possibly think or write any more.

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I mentioned to some of my business colleagues what I had to do over the weekend to get caught up on a couple of major projects.  Interestingly, male business colleagues thought it was strange–excessive–to pay for a hotel room in our city just so I could get my work done.

Working moms totally understood and congratulated me for taking the step.  They understood the mind-numbing balancing act that we do every. single. day.

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Typical day trying to get work done at home:

Typing on the computer….

Dang, that load of laundry’s done. Better put in another so my son has clean underwear before tomorrow.

Back to creating slides on the computer

where was I?  What was that brilliant thought?

Son: M-O-M!  I need your he-elp!

Me: OK, Just a second!

Hours later…

OK, the boy is fed, and we’ve read books, now he’s having his quiet time…surely I can knock out some great work time before I have to start preparing dinner.

Phone rings.  Patient needs to reschedule.

Phone rings again. New patient wants to come in.

Husband comes home from work.

Son says he’s hungry.

Looking at my completed work on presentation slides for the day: grand total equals four hours of attempted work, yet actual work completed totals 20 minutes worth…maybe.

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Any other working moms been in this situation before?

Let’s face it, trying to churn out seriously productive work that requires serious brain bytes after 10 pm is pretty much not gonna happen.

Thus, if you NEED to catch up on some major projects because of an impending deadline–take a day (or two, if you can). Hole up in a hotel room with your favorite snacks and frozen foods (or order room service), and knock out your work.

When you come home, you’ll have all of those stifling and panic-inducing “I’m so behind I can’t get anything done” feelings smooshed because you just wailed on a major project.

Then, you can be 100% wife and mom with a fully cheerful demeanor.

Your family will love you for it.

You’ll be able to fully devote time to them.

If no one has ever told you it’s okay to take some time off for yourself (even if it is for work), do it.  It’s for the greater good (and your good).

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Many thanks to the amazing women who encouraged me to take a day to get away. Also, thanks to my wonderful husband and darling son who let me go–guilt-free.