After a stressful, and somewhat overwhelming, week I decided to chill the fuck out and kick back tonight with some music videos and whisky. It's very much what the doctor ordered.
Today I found myself on the brink of an epic meltdown. I had another job come in which could be quite a lucrative, and time consuming, project. I should be happy. The problem is that I have too many projects running concurrently. I'm spreading myself thinner, and thinner, to a point where I'm struggling to meet demands. I'd like to be able to turn some of this work away. However, I can't. December and January are typically our worst two months of the year. 2009/2010 we took no income over that time. In fact, I think it may have been closer to March before we saw another client payment come through. It's a tough time for us and we have no other revenue source to supplement us over that period. So I need to ensure that I capture as many opportunities from now until things dry up over the holiday period. The pressure is intense. I already feel so burnt out from the last few months of work. Wah, wah, wah, right? I normally deal much better with this stuff.
Damn. That really fucked up my groove. I was feeling pretty chipper until I started thinking about that again.
Since it's been disrupted I may as well recant something that happened yesterday. Come to think of it, it was probably the catalyst that started my panicked spiral. I was talking to a regular client about an idea he has for a new website. He asked me how difficult it would be for me to throw together a mockup that he can use to start selling the idea while I'm building the real deal. I told him it wasn't difficult at all; it was finding the time to do it at all that was the problem. I explained that I currently have two major projects I'm building for him, one more that he wants under way ASAP, another for his step-daughters farm, two from clients of his that he passed on to me in the last 2 weeks, one of which is now really urgent, another that he sent through to me earlier in the day who has a November deadline, on top of five that I've got as works in progress for other clients. I'm working 20 hour days, again, seven days a week just to keep everyone happy and money coming into the bank. I wish there was an easier way.
Now having said all that, it should be noted that I am eternally happy at being able to earn a living working from home and not having to answer to anyone but myself. I'm always within calling distance of my wife and kids, and I absolutely love what I do. It's just lately it always seems to be famine or feast. We either go months without a penny coming through the door, or have a dozen jobs all fall into our lap within days of each other. Nobody said it would be easy ...
I've done good at avoiding the computer tonight. I don't think I'll tempt fate by cruising SG like I was planning to. I'll just start feeling guilty and need to do some work if I do. Besides, the whisky has headed south and I'm as horny as a teenager. Time to snuggle up with the hugs and kisses and see if she's up for some lurvin'.
Today I found myself on the brink of an epic meltdown. I had another job come in which could be quite a lucrative, and time consuming, project. I should be happy. The problem is that I have too many projects running concurrently. I'm spreading myself thinner, and thinner, to a point where I'm struggling to meet demands. I'd like to be able to turn some of this work away. However, I can't. December and January are typically our worst two months of the year. 2009/2010 we took no income over that time. In fact, I think it may have been closer to March before we saw another client payment come through. It's a tough time for us and we have no other revenue source to supplement us over that period. So I need to ensure that I capture as many opportunities from now until things dry up over the holiday period. The pressure is intense. I already feel so burnt out from the last few months of work. Wah, wah, wah, right? I normally deal much better with this stuff.
Damn. That really fucked up my groove. I was feeling pretty chipper until I started thinking about that again.
Since it's been disrupted I may as well recant something that happened yesterday. Come to think of it, it was probably the catalyst that started my panicked spiral. I was talking to a regular client about an idea he has for a new website. He asked me how difficult it would be for me to throw together a mockup that he can use to start selling the idea while I'm building the real deal. I told him it wasn't difficult at all; it was finding the time to do it at all that was the problem. I explained that I currently have two major projects I'm building for him, one more that he wants under way ASAP, another for his step-daughters farm, two from clients of his that he passed on to me in the last 2 weeks, one of which is now really urgent, another that he sent through to me earlier in the day who has a November deadline, on top of five that I've got as works in progress for other clients. I'm working 20 hour days, again, seven days a week just to keep everyone happy and money coming into the bank. I wish there was an easier way.
Now having said all that, it should be noted that I am eternally happy at being able to earn a living working from home and not having to answer to anyone but myself. I'm always within calling distance of my wife and kids, and I absolutely love what I do. It's just lately it always seems to be famine or feast. We either go months without a penny coming through the door, or have a dozen jobs all fall into our lap within days of each other. Nobody said it would be easy ...
I've done good at avoiding the computer tonight. I don't think I'll tempt fate by cruising SG like I was planning to. I'll just start feeling guilty and need to do some work if I do. Besides, the whisky has headed south and I'm as horny as a teenager. Time to snuggle up with the hugs and kisses and see if she's up for some lurvin'.