Why I Work From Home and For Myself

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The first day back at work.

I have my flask filled and my favourite mug ready.

My lunch is made up in the fridge for me to just grab and eat at my desk.

My pencils have been sharpened and my post it notes are in order.

The shiny new diary has been “broken” and my email box looks a little better now that the hoards of emails that accumulated over the Christmas break have been cleared, filed or dealt with (well most of them are, my inbox is like the bloody Tardis!).

My nails have been filed back down to an acceptable typing level.

I have already spoken on the phone to two new potential clients (read this as I have spoken with an adult and Numberjacks, Minecraft and CBeebies were not mentioned).

I’ve loudly trumpeted across my social media networks so that everyone knows I am back and…

I have just realised how much I love my work!

Ok, there are the clients that think they are writers or would be if only they had the spare time (if you work with clients like this say “aye!”). There are the rubber invoices which seem to bounce back repeatedly unpaid. There are the emails which make you want to throw your monitor out of the window and the deadlines which you always agree to yet always regret because you know they are nuts and you will be burning the midnight oil, inhaling coffee granules and posting on Facebook that you will NEVER take on such an assignment again.

Until next time of course.

That said there are huge benefits to what I do:

  • I am my own boss which means I can be a bitch and it doesn’t matter, no-one will quit.
  • I am my own boss so what I say goes.
  • I pick and choose (mostly) what work I do.
  • If I want to have very strong red onions and garlic in my lunch then that is fine, there is no-one else here to complain about the smell.
  • I am able to be completely flexible around the boys (very important).
  • I can wear big fluffy slipper boots while working and no-one cares.
  • I can have music blasting out via Spotify when working and no-one complains.
  • I have no work do to attend, no office gossips to worry about.
  • Being made redundant isn’t a concern.

And I can choose how high my business goes and ultimately set how much I want to earn (realistically speaking, OBVIOUSLY I’d like a millions pounds a month but the tax would be a pain so I choose a more modest income instead).

Working from home and for yourself, whether you are juggling a family or not is incredibly hard work and yet may be unbelievably rewarding.

Today is a good day at work!

I Own a Unique Body So Need Unique Clothing

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I have huge thighs. I have a FF sized bust. I have a reasonably well defined waist, good hips and a flabby tummy that two children and years of yo-yo diets seems to have left me for the long term. I feel exposed when my bum isn’t at least partially covered up yet jumpers and tops that seem to be in vogue which come down to my knees make me resemble an odd-looking Hobbit as despite being a size 18-20 with a large bust and a substantial body I am only 5ft 2” tall.

There are a number of “plus sized” establishments that are happy to sell me off the shelf clothing however in many cases these appear to be pieces that were shaped for smaller women and then inches were added along the line rather than any extra fitting applied to make the best of my womanly curves. I find clothes shopping frustrating. I deserve more.

I consider myself to be the proud owner of a unique body whereas many of the clothing industry leaders assume I have a tent frame body which is crying out to be swathed in fabric. Finding clothing which does my fabulously unique body justice is difficult however that is what I want, clothing that works for me and my quirks, not clothing that makes me want to change my body so that it will fit into someone else’s idea of an “ideal” body shape.

I am looking for stylish dresses, trousers which don’t need to be “baggy shaped” to not look too tight and tops which help me make the best of my bust without looking like I am out of proportion. I am looking for a company that appreciates the fact that I am no longer 18 years old, that I am an individual and that here is a good chance I will never had the same figure I did before having children and who don’t see that as a flaw. I think I might have found this magical-sounding clothing company and if I’m right about them I suspect clothes shopping will soon become something much morr than a depressing chore.

ISABI seem to be on the ball when it comes to designing and producing clothing for those who are not well-rounded, perfectly balanced individuals. They seem to have realised that if you are 5ft 2” with short-ish legs that you may actually also have a large butt. ISABI appear to know that one size doesn’t fit all and those of us with beautiful if not mainstream bodies do deserve clothing that makes us feel good too.

From what I know about this company they seem to be very much on the ball regarding what women want and need and yet don’t give two hoots about what the latest trends are or what that stick-thin catwalk model wears at the top shows. They have a fabulous collection of items which are designed, often through layering, to build a look that feels great, looks great and is adaptable to any size or shape. It doesn’t matter whether a woman is larger or not, she still wants to feel good and ISABI appear to know this.

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As many readers will know I work full time from home, I have two children and am constantly on the go. I need clothing that looks good, makes me feel good, washes easily and isn’t “fussy” and ISABI seem to have what I need.

You’ll have noticed that this post contains a lot of “appears to” and “they seem to” with regards to ISABI. This is because I haven’t yet ordered and worn any of their wares. I have however done some excessive browsing and have a good sized wishlist waiting for the new year. That said, ISABI’s “About Us” page which explains how they work and what they believe in is enough to make me feel optimistic about my chances of finding quality clothing I can afford which flatters me and which makes me feel confident and again celebrates my shape.

Will I come back after the New Year shopping spree and tell you all what my experience has been? Absolutely, unless of course you already know about ISABI and are clad in chic dresses behind those laptops feeling a million pounds? If you are you should have shared this knowledge with me before now!

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Sample image – click to view online

This post was written in collaboration with the mentioned business.