Calling in Sick

It's an odd thing, running a business from home.  In some ways -- I work all the time on the shop, much like I did when I worked in an office all the time.  It's one of those things a work-a-holic is saddled with: a constant drive to improve with the inability to ever really 'turn-off'.  I did it in the office, and now I seem to have that same obsession in the "studio".

It's rather sad really, when I think about it.  For while one could certainly say that the time spent in my "studio" or my "shop" are for me anyhow -- is it really?

Last night I was packing up some last minute orders -- just before dinner, and just before my writing class I take through my Local Vet Center where I live.  Dinner had finished, and I had not.  I still had writing to complete / perfect for the class and I was still packing up what needed to get mailed.

My daughter walked in as I was stressing about what to complete first -- I went with the shop stuff before focusing more on the 'me' centric writing -- and asked if she could just make the sides to go with the meatloaf I had made.   While this is a wonderful thing my daughter asked me -- and I let her do it of course -- I wonder, how much time when the kids are home am I too focused on the shop?

It's an important question when the lines are more thoroughly blurred like this in a "home shop"  -- sometimes I wonder where the shop ends and where "home" really begins.   Indeed, I often have to make a formal decision to stop with the shop (as I have stopped shipping 7 days a week, since the Post Office now locks its doors and I am constrained by dropping off during certain hours) and 'start' with the family.

For while working with the metals and gemstones is a healing thing for me - it's calming to my very tactile nature to be sure - there is always a time that becomes less healing, and more hiding.  Hiding behind my drive focuses my attention from what I should be doing, what I need to be doing and stops the actual healing process at some point.  I know this intellectually, but when one has dueling priorities it's tough to choose: Build the Business into a successful endeavor, or focus on what I started this with, calming my weary nerves.

So, today I called in sick to the shop.  My shop.  I was angry with myself, and thought for certain I was faking.

And lets be honest, even when I called in sick from work in the office, I still checked as much as I could at home -- so I will probably check on the shop once in a while.  But, for now, my 'to-do' list is put to the side, my 'must create' and 'must photo' lists can wait for tomorrow.  Even my mid-day chores around the house (which I use to break up the long days in the studio and working on the shop) will get done when they get done today.

I am calling in sick -- and probably watching many, many hours of cooking on television.  This is for one reason only:  For me.

Spring Green Glass Earrings