Summer Working, Balance and Guilt

I blog. This much is obvious, but I also work on a freelance basis. I do some market research work, I ghost write for businesses and blogs, and do other paid writing work. Hooray, I’m getting there… but what the bloody hell will I do over summer?

We have lots of outings planned during the summer, to air shows, to visit friends and a short holiday away – but the rest of the time it’ll be playing at home / in the garden (weather permitting) and short day trips. School finishes today and I am yet to work out just how I’m going to get the work done and spend quality time with the boys. Up until now, Kieran has been at school every day and Taylor (possibly the most laid back baby ever) has been easy to work around. My (fabulous) Mum takes Taylor one day a week so I can have a proper “heads down” day and over the summer Kieran will go to a playscheme one day a week while Taylor is visiting with Grandma so that’s one day…. urm?!

Do you have any Summer-holiday working tips? I am looking forward to having them both at home and having fun but DO need to work (pesky bills and all that) so how can I get the balance right between the two without subjecting them to a summer of seeing the top of Mummy’s head over a laptop screen?

What do you do, how do you organise you time? Is it possible to have it all, the fun and the “proper” work-time?

 

 

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5 comments

  1. I don’t have much advice I’m afraid – both of mine are still at home so they are here every week of the year. The school hols won’t make any difference to us. But I think I’d maybe get up a bit earlier and try to squeeze in a little work before the kids got moving in the mornings. Assuming they aren’t up at 5am! Then I’d do my best to wear them out during the day so they sleep well.

    C&C is looking fabulous by the way – first time I’ve seen the new look!

  2. I’m a 5am riser naturally so get as much done as I can then but they don’t sleep past 7am lol.
    Thanks for your comment on the new look – I’m really pleased with it!

  3. DD has got used to the fact that after stories in bed, usually at about 8pm, I go to work on my computer or cook. She plays on the bed and has her music on but is very good about not coming out (too many times). If she is throwing herself about u ntil 11pm I don’t care – it just means a couple of extra hours for me in the morning. So I get to work from 8 till 11/12 every night. It probably wouldn’t work if I had to have quality time with a husband though.

  4. Ooh it’s not easy, I work from home 90% of the time and I feel very guilty having to say ‘nothing’ to my three when they ask what they are doing today. Mine are a little older than yours Nicki(11, 9 and 4) so having some friends round to play is always a winner and gets them out of my hair for a couple of hours (although I have had to train myself to ignore the bumps/shouts/screams/whooping etc from upstairs unless it sounds really serious and in need of intervention, plus there is always ALOT of tidying up to do after the friends have left!)

  5. It’s not easy for me. I considered putting all of them in camps for one week but there is no guarantee I’ll get any work that week. I have to do mine as it comes. I tend to just do visits in the evenings and weekend over the holidays and can satisfy 90 % of my vet clients like this.
    As for writing work, I just put the TV on, make some popcorn and get my head down.
    It’s never easy though 🙁

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