do you feel like this too sometimes?

**Blackhorse** · 21-11-2009, 09:23 PM

..I think I am not used to this whole working from home change..I have always been a workaholic even before I was self employed and had loads of overtime etc...now that I work from home I constantly think...oh but I should be doing this...or I could be doing that...or what if I did this just now...

I find it really hard to just sit and do nothing...(not that I have ever been good at this before ) but now it just seems to be worse...
I constantly think about things to do with the mindees..like now coming up to xmas I constantly think about arts and crafts stuff, decorating the house with them...etc etc etc...what to cook for them....my accounts, my RAs for my outings...paperwork I still want to finish off...stuff I want to prepare for the parents......it is an endless list really!

does this sound familiar to any of you or am I a special nut case??

**mama2three** · 21-11-2009, 09:26 PM

i can send you my work if you like. Ive got piles to do , but because im at home i feel guilty and end up doing something with the family.

**PixiePetal** · 21-11-2009, 09:27 PM

Can you come to mine and do some of my paperwork etc? I have 101 things that I would rather do - lots of crafty pursuits of my own

Or there's always my teens homework/revision to do??!

TheBTeam · 21-11-2009, 09:44 PM

No I have an endless list, and occasionally when I catch up, more then comes up to be done, all childminding related. I like this job but do get wound up by the amount of non minding related time the job takes. I go in waves as to whether I am enthusiastic or not and how much I can get done and sometimes how much I want to do, I am guilty of sitting on the forum too much inbetween playing spider solitaire and popping back to catch up on new threads.

**tammerisk** · 21-11-2009, 09:45 PM

you are not alone!!!!
i am the same but i do feel like i never get away from work everwhere i turn there is the reminder of the job we do!!!!
i go to bed most night thinking of things we are going to do and stuff we can make and planning formonths in advance (but i never wirte it down so forget it all!!)

i wish i could shut off the only way i have found of doing this is drinking nice beer or wine or what ever!! on the evenings i not5 got work the next day so i can sleep

also taking the dog for walk at 5 in the morn makes you very tired by about half 9 so all you do is go to bed and sleep!!!

**helenlc** · 21-11-2009, 10:02 PM

My daughter plays football and has 2 hours football training on a Saturday morning. Me and my husband take it in turns to take her. I like it when its my turn as I am out the house and cannot do anything even if I wanted to!!

When I am indoors, I look at things and think I will get this craft ready. Last Sunday I spent 3 hours doing my accounts.

Today I have lazed around with my family - wathing TV and reading and playing etc.

Tomorrow I will do some paperwork (catching up on observations) for a while and feel a bit better ie less guilty.

I find it hard to get the balance right - I work from home and my children put up with this. I therefore feel that evenings and weekends should be spent with them. Then I get behind with paper work!!!

TheBTeam · 21-11-2009, 10:10 PM

It seems like a vicious circle, I like to be out with my kids at their football on weekends as i cant be doing anything at home, but after a long days work I like to sit in a dark room watching tele and on here, and play solitaire, not sitting do more paperwork.

I find it easier to cope with the accounts side of things cos I can do that and still watch tv, but the linking of obs to the developmental ages stuff takes time and concentration and I can't do anything else at the same time, that is what i begrudge!

**sarah707** · 21-11-2009, 10:38 PM

I'm hopeless!

I work all day and find myself working all night as well.

My kids are with their dad, boyfriend goes home and I just fill my time with childminding and my writing.

I enjoy my work though... but don't want to burn out so it has to be a balancing act.

Plan time off like you plan work - that's the best way I have found

**Ripeberry** · 22-11-2009, 10:20 AM

At weekends I stay in bed as long as I can, because as soon as I go downstairs there is work waiting for me, stuff to put in the dishwasher, things to pick up off the floor, nag the girls to get dressed. But at least I get some breakfast at the weekend.
During the week I'm so busy I forget to eat and then get ratty. I make lists everyday and try and clear them by the evening.
Yesterday, whilst it was tipping down with rain I was painting the living room whilst listening to the stereo really loud

So at least I got some work done and enjoyed myself at the same time.
Husband took the girls shopping....maybe for my Xmas present

**manjay** · 22-11-2009, 12:37 PM

This is why we try to use our caravan as often as possible. It is the only time I switch off, both from boring housework and childminding and studying!!!!

I can't even sit and watch a tv programme without jumping up in the breaks "just to do a little"

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 22-11-2009, 12:39 PM

I was self employed for 12 years and then became employed for a while and found that even now, no matter what I am doing I do it at full pace and most of the time don't stop until it is finished.

I was conditioned to do this when I was SE and it has stayed

I think most people will say the same.

**Blackhorse** · 22-11-2009, 12:41 PM

hmm so I am not alone...

It hasnt come to the stage yet where it really bothers me but I have just noticed lately that I never stop.
there is always something to do or prepare or clean or plan.....
and what makes it worse is if I sit down not doing anything I feel kinda guilty for not doing anything....like if you sit at your desk at work and dont actually work...that's how it feels like.
and I agree with Sarah, you have to really watch you dont burn out...as this in my experience is a slow process and it is easy to miss until it is nearly already too late...

so this morning I took dd and some food for the birds...and we went to the local duck pond to get out and have some fun....

**Tatjana** · 22-11-2009, 02:01 PM

Yes, but not with cm stuff just everything else. Can't sit around when there's stuff to be done...as no-one else will do it. Even when dh says 'oh leave it i'll do that' 90% of the time he doesn't so I end up doing it plus feel peeved off that I could have done it sooner had it not been for his so called offer!

xx

**Ripeberry** · 22-11-2009, 02:07 PM

I feel like the nagging wife most of the time, I don't mean to, it's just frustrating that my husband can't see the mess or what needs doing and the kids just make even more mess, that I have to clean up!......arrghh

Most weekends my husband likes to be out and about as he gets 'bored' stuck in the house.
But most of the time I don't want to go out as I've got TOO much to do.
But Mondays are MY time, so I'll try and do all the boring stuff at the weekend and then try and relax then, before my working week starts

**Curly Quavers** · 22-11-2009, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by Tatjana

Yes, but not with cm stuff just everything else. Can't sit around when there's stuff to be done...as no-one else will do it. Even when dh says 'oh leave it i'll do that' 90% of the time he doesn't so I end up doing it plus feel peeved off that I could have done it sooner had it not been for his so called offer!

xx

That sounds like my house. Everything is easier if you do it your self but for somebody to do something without being asked or nagged first would be FAB!

**patevans** · 22-11-2009, 06:58 PM

Originally Posted by Blackhorse

..I think I am not used to this whole working from home change..I have always been a workaholic even before I was self employed and had loads of overtime etc...now that I work from home I constantly think...oh but I should be doing this...or I could be doing that...or what if I did this just now...

I find it really hard to just sit and do nothing...(not that I have ever been good at this before ) but now it just seems to be worse...
I constantly think about things to do with the mindees..like now coming up to xmas I constantly think about arts and crafts stuff, decorating the house with them...etc etc etc...what to cook for them....my accounts, my RAs for my outings...paperwork I still want to finish off...stuff I want to prepare for the parents......it is an endless list really!

does this sound familiar to any of you or am I a special nut case??

I constantly think of things that I should be doing but never get round to doing them, I am so behind with all my paperwork

**breezy** · 22-11-2009, 09:30 PM

I'm always chasing my tail, dont think it'll ever change, good job i like being busy!!!!!!!

**suez** · 23-11-2009, 08:49 AM

well today im not doing much, dont feel too good both parents know but you never get them sayin "aw poor you ,will keep my darling child at home let you rest", and i would feel too guilty sayin cant have them today ,so i think lots of free play today is called for its only till half 11 so not too bad
is that bad of me thinkin this way that I'M gonna take it easy today? x

**Sarahjlonguk** · 23-11-2009, 10:28 AM

Yes feel like that and I have not been a childminder for long....no one warns you that you will be drowning in a paperwork hell, too much unpaid overtime, and recently I seem to have taken on the roll of parent counsellor.

Sarah - who is currently sitting with papers all around her trying to get the energy to complete her first SEF. Arrrrrhhhhhhhh

**MissTinkerbell** · 23-11-2009, 02:09 PM

I'm extremely lucky in that I only have 1 full time mindee who has a 2 hour nap every morning whilst my own 2 are at preschool. This means usually I can get everything I need to get done during this time leaving my evenings and weekends relatively free for family time. He has an hour nap in the afternoon so I then get time with my own 2. Not sure what I will do when he starts to cut down on naps!!