I've been pretty quiet lately. I've hardly done any writing. This is because I'm on auto-pilot.
After working the last 55 consecutive days, without a day off, I'm basically a robot. A robot with deteriorating looks and deteriorating ability to function.
A regular customer, a person I would even consider a friend, summed it up the other day like this: "Cath... Aw, you look like crap. I mean, you'll bounce back, but how much more of this can you take?"
All I heard was "you'll bounce back" and I'm thinking.... I usually CAN, but what if I CAN'T this time? What if there is no amount of $200 eye cream and night serum that will ever restore my outer glow? Lord knows at this point, the inner "glow" is pretty much gone.
So, I agree, 55 days is not healthy. Not a good idea. I wouldn't recommend it. But truthfully, days 35-45 were the hardest. I was still hoping for a day off at that point. Now, I've pretty much given up wanting/hoping/expecting/planning for a day off, and that, frankly, that has made it easier. Now that I've resigned myself to the fact that each day the sun rises and sets, I must attend to the restaurant... I'm ok with it. I know what I need to do.
Failure simply isn't an option. Either is getting sick. On that note, I'd highly recommend Cold-FX and washing your hands 800 times a day. It works. Seriously.
Now some days are easier than others. And an 8 hour day feels like a cake walk. It's practically a day off kind of feeling. Even the kids are in shock and awe if I'm home in daylight. Mom... you're home??? It's not, "Mom... you're home!!!" It's said with a much more suspicious and "what's wrong" kind of tone.
Mondays used to be my favourite day. Kind of a slack day, meant for cleaning and getting caught up at work. And now, the last 2 Mondays have been complete and total, unpredictable, you-would-not-believe-me-if-I-told-you kind of gong show days. I'm pretty much scared of Mondays now. So I think I will just stick to referring to days of the week, by their numbers. As in, hey.... happy day 56.
So I'm just going to stop typing now and pretty much shut up. I'm sure we both agree this isn't pretty.
Don't worry.... I'll bounce back. Maybe.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Saturday, September 7, 2013
You know you're tired when....
...you can fall asleep sitting in a chair working. I believe I sat upright and slept hours last night with my hands on a keyboard.The last thing I saw was 4AM on the clock. Doing schedules and analyzing data and planning promotions. That's glamourous stuff to be doing all night.
...you know you are tired when: you put ketchup on your own hot dog. And you don't even like ketchup!
...you know you are tired when you can't find the words any more and just point to things as a means of expressing what you want.
...you know you're tired when you consider coffee as a priority, not a beverage.
--you know you're tired when you fall asleep before the child you're reading to.
...you know you're tired when you start setting 6 alarms in the morning because you already sleep through the first 5.
...you know you are tired when: you put ketchup on your own hot dog. And you don't even like ketchup!
...you know you are tired when you can't find the words any more and just point to things as a means of expressing what you want.
...you know you're tired when you consider coffee as a priority, not a beverage.
--you know you're tired when you fall asleep before the child you're reading to.
...you know you're tired when you start setting 6 alarms in the morning because you already sleep through the first 5.
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Business Owner's Bad Math
I own a restaurant. We are open 7 days a week, including all holidays. But by design, it's merely seasonal. We are closed in the dead of winter, and thank goodness for that because I really can't keep up this pace more than 250 days a year.
Closed 115 days a year? Over 100 days off.... that sounds amazing, right? Well, lets do the math. It's exactly the same as a person working 5 days a week and having weekends off. That "regular worker" would get 2 days off, each of 52 weeks (plus stat holidays) so they are off likely 115 days a year. Same!
But, the pace is really hard to keep up without a solid sanity break here and there. I'm not bragging. I freely admit I must actually be crazy for working like this.
Let's look at August, shall we? With staff departures and holidays, and sudden staff illness I ended up working every single day in August, except for the 1st. I worked (in the restaurant) from August 2nd to 30th consecutively. Each day was a 12 hour day, except for 4 days. Of those 4 days, I worked two days at just 8 hour shifts, plus two 5's. (For interest, I used my one half day to drive out of town to run errands and do chores/visit my mother. The other, I got my hair and nails done.)
12 x 26 = 312
2 x 8 = 16
2 x 5 = 10
That's 338 hours in the building and/or rushing to grab supplies. This does NOT include time spent in my home office planning meals, doing schedules, preparing advertisements, and the other "brain" tasks outside of the physical serving, cleaning, cooking which is required on site.
So if a "regular worker" works 7.5 hours a day, 5 days a week, it would take them just over 9 weeks to complete 338 hours of work.
So, by my bad math, I worked 9 weeks in August!!! LOL Agreed. It's not healthy, or sane. But when others were calling in sick, and the show must go on in a 7 day a week operation, that's what the owner does. After all, it's my name on the wall and my reputation at risk.
The bigger question is really... what WEREN'T you doing in August? Well, I can honestly say that I have gone another whole summer without going to the lake or camping. I didn't go fishing or hiking or to a beach either. I certainly didn't go out partying or out for dinners. I didn't have a bonfire with my kids or even touch a BBQ. I did not attend a concert or go to any fairs or festivals. I really didn't do any "summer" things that people enjoy in this part of the country. I had one drink on a patio... so I guess that was good! LOL
What I DID do, was dedicate 8 days in early July to a family vacation. It was certainly good to get out of town. But the fact remains, since that vacation, I have worked my ass off and am physically in desperate need for another break.
I find myself in a little rut. I'm like a carnival pony. As long as I keep my head down and my feet moving, things will stay on track. And as long as this little carnival pony can see a vacation (my "carrot") dangling in the distance, I should be able to keep going. It's not easy! But easy is never worth it.
As my new favourite proverb, I'll lastly note: Opportunity looks a lot like hard work...and for those who really know me, they KNOW I've never been shy about hard work.
Closed 115 days a year? Over 100 days off.... that sounds amazing, right? Well, lets do the math. It's exactly the same as a person working 5 days a week and having weekends off. That "regular worker" would get 2 days off, each of 52 weeks (plus stat holidays) so they are off likely 115 days a year. Same!
But, the pace is really hard to keep up without a solid sanity break here and there. I'm not bragging. I freely admit I must actually be crazy for working like this.
Let's look at August, shall we? With staff departures and holidays, and sudden staff illness I ended up working every single day in August, except for the 1st. I worked (in the restaurant) from August 2nd to 30th consecutively. Each day was a 12 hour day, except for 4 days. Of those 4 days, I worked two days at just 8 hour shifts, plus two 5's. (For interest, I used my one half day to drive out of town to run errands and do chores/visit my mother. The other, I got my hair and nails done.)
12 x 26 = 312
2 x 8 = 16
2 x 5 = 10
That's 338 hours in the building and/or rushing to grab supplies. This does NOT include time spent in my home office planning meals, doing schedules, preparing advertisements, and the other "brain" tasks outside of the physical serving, cleaning, cooking which is required on site.
So if a "regular worker" works 7.5 hours a day, 5 days a week, it would take them just over 9 weeks to complete 338 hours of work.
So, by my bad math, I worked 9 weeks in August!!! LOL Agreed. It's not healthy, or sane. But when others were calling in sick, and the show must go on in a 7 day a week operation, that's what the owner does. After all, it's my name on the wall and my reputation at risk.
The bigger question is really... what WEREN'T you doing in August? Well, I can honestly say that I have gone another whole summer without going to the lake or camping. I didn't go fishing or hiking or to a beach either. I certainly didn't go out partying or out for dinners. I didn't have a bonfire with my kids or even touch a BBQ. I did not attend a concert or go to any fairs or festivals. I really didn't do any "summer" things that people enjoy in this part of the country. I had one drink on a patio... so I guess that was good! LOL
What I DID do, was dedicate 8 days in early July to a family vacation. It was certainly good to get out of town. But the fact remains, since that vacation, I have worked my ass off and am physically in desperate need for another break.
I find myself in a little rut. I'm like a carnival pony. As long as I keep my head down and my feet moving, things will stay on track. And as long as this little carnival pony can see a vacation (my "carrot") dangling in the distance, I should be able to keep going. It's not easy! But easy is never worth it.
As my new favourite proverb, I'll lastly note: Opportunity looks a lot like hard work...and for those who really know me, they KNOW I've never been shy about hard work.
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