I've been looking back through some of my blog posts and very few lately have been about dots and spots but about the garden, holidays, family life, more a diary rather than a design blog. My blog was always a 'mish mash' of the two, the work/life balance etc. Because I've decided to take a step back for a year from exhibiting at shows and designing, I feel I haven't as much to share on the dots and spots front - nothing new, 'wow' or exciting. It's just a routine of orders 'pinging' in, being picked and packed and sent out.
I recently read an article Jane Lindsey of 'Snapdragon Online Ltd' had been asked to write about work/life balance for Totally 4 Women, you can read it HERE so much of what she writes, rings home to me too.
Christmas 2012 was a tipping point for me too, I had already decided changes needed to be made after a stupidly busy trading period and when Jeff received his redundancy news a few months later, something had to give. We were already signed up to two London Trade Shows and had committed ourselves to a new product range for 2013 but my love affair with dots and spots had changed. We decided in 2014 not to exhibit at Trade Shows, not bring out a new product range or glossy catalogue - I'm enjoying my time more now I'm off the work treadmill. I'm not panicked about design deadlines and people's expectations of me, keeping up with other's, always having to come up with the next big thing.
This year I'm enjoying going over to the unit and making up the orders, I'm enjoying doing the odd day in my friend's shop - meeting and actually talking to other people. I'm enjoying looking at what other people are doing without feeling any pressure to compete and come up with the next new idea. I'm enjoying having the time to spend at home or meet up with friends and I'm enjoying a little bit of 'ME' time, focusing on my health and fitness a little more now I have the time.
I want dots and spots to continue but not in the crazy way it had become. It needs to bring in an income or I'll have to do something else. I still want to do new things but without the pressure and expectation. I don't want to grow bigger, take on staff etc so it needs to work for me and family life. Jeff's new job means he doesn't have the time to support the business in the way he did. The children as they get older I find, need you around more so whilst I continue to enjoy my 'year off' I am also thinking ahead to how dots and spots will develop into the future.
7 comments:
I could have written all of that myself. At the end of the day you need to enjoy what you do and do it properly and not being rushed all of the time. Children do need as much as they get older and we only get one shot at life no one ever wishes they had worked more
I totally understand you. My children are late teens and early twenties but still need me at moment though independent enough to allow me more me time than in recent years. There is no right or wrong. It's just a case of doing what works for you.
You have such talent so I hope you can continue with your business but at a level that fits in with family life.
Mandy x
i've followed you for so long and i love how your blog is both personal and business, and i truly understand you step back from the 'manic' side of the business
I love dots and spots and cant wait to see what the future holds for you and your family :) x
I absolutely love your blog and really think it is inspiring. You can mix your blog up with personal and business xx
I totally know where you're coming from Becky. My balance is so off at the moment getting ready for the show. It's made me realise that I never want to be this busy... it's not good for me or anyone else! And you're right, I'm finding that the kids do need me more the older they get. Very true. Look forward to catching up sometime over coffee when I've got my life back! :-) x
I love reading your blog and the mix of family/personal/home/business makes it always interesting - you write in such a friendly way, I feel like I know you all! Like many people I thought once my kids were older they'd need me less but it's far from true and in fact you want to spend as much time with them as you can because the day they'll be up and off doesn't seem very far away at all. It sounds like you're getting a great work/life balance and that's really important - when you're running your own business it can tend to take over so sometimes you do need to take a step back and rethink things a bit. Good luck with it all :)
Thanks so much for all your encouraging comments - I often think we only get one life so enjoy it! If that means scaling things down to free up a little more 'me' time then I think that's most certainly the way I'm going x
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