Not working today

[Frankie Reloaded]

I don´t know wny: I just got extremely lazy, did some ironing before lunch (my love for ironing is not the question today!)

Then I went shopping with my wife and the youngest. She (the youngest) got an faux aquarium lamp she fell in love with (5yo) and I bought an expensive work chair for those times I type at hope. The one I had there was not bad, but definitely made not for my slightly oversized body. Sons got it and I treated myself to a luxurious thingy ideal for sitting at the keyboad. After supper, getting sll three to bed etc. I got to work. Sat down, enjoyed the nicities of this new work seating setup... and was not able to type a single well phrased sentence in the book I translate. Eventually, after some torturing, I declared this to be Sunday, the Day of the Resting Lord, a did nothing. I have mixed feelings from this. deadline is not endangered, but... a dead day nevertheless.

Are there some of you who like doing what you do and continue some 360 days a year, major holidays excluding?

Just curious. How do deal with such writers (or whoevers) block?

[Skell18]

Yup, I love my job, there are some days when I don't want to go into work and wish the day would be over quick, but, on the whole, I do enjoy life as a lawyer.

[Frankie Reloaded]

Yes, I would probably like not going to work it it actually including the going part You do not do your work on such days at home, like reading files, devising strategies or whatever lawyers do outside of courtrooms?

[rickcharles606]

I'm the same way, and even on days off, I find myself working. When I'm not traveling or at my office in Los Angeles, I work from my home office. The suck part of working at a home office is you NEVER get to "go home" from work. The fact that I work across several time zones, makes it harder too because the phone rings at all hours of the day. So, I understand your plight, brother. Sometimes, you just need to get away and clear your mind.

When I feel all stressed out and can't think straight....I practice my calligraphy, it just chills me out. Good luck and don't feel guilty for taking some time for yourself.

[Frankie Reloaded]

Thank you. That is exactly what I was feeling

[Skell18]

Yes, I would probably like not going to work it it actually including the going part You do not do your work on such days at home, like reading files, devising strategies or whatever lawyers do outside of courtrooms?

God no! I try to keep work and home separate at all costs. Its is very rare that I take files home with me, i do stay late most days but, avoid taking it home with me if I can. I will only take something home if I am going straight to court the next day, other than that I am prepared beforehand so no need to take it home. They don't pay me enough to do that

[Frankie Reloaded]

They only pay me just enough to survive in this country , but I like working from home. Been doing it for some 20 years now. Only after the kids started to really grow and we needed the spare room for the third one, I got a room in a nearby block of flats. I go there to run away from the noise/interruptions, but at nights I usually just use empty living room and the silence. So, for some at least, working from home rocks. The problem is no work anywhere and nothing to do. I think I will just try and sleep before midnight for a change. Maybe tomorrow I will catch up with the pages that I allocated for today.

[lxskllr]

If you can't get something going, there's always another day. No point in forcing it. Your work won't be the best, and you'll just get frustrated and pissed off.

[rickcharles606]

If you can't get something going, there's always another day. No point in forcing it. Your work won't be the best, and you'll just get frustrated and pissed off.

^^^This^^^

Sometimes it's better to just walk away. Truth is, work will be there when you return refreshed and invigorated ;-)

[lxskllr]

Truth is, work will be there when you return refreshed and invigorated ;-)

Sadly correct. I wish the beer in the fridge worked the same way :^D

[squeezyjohn]

I'm definitely a workaholic - I drink about 10 pints of workahol a day!

But seriously - there has to be a work-life balance ... if you enjoy your work then working all the time can be balanced. If like most people you just work to pay the bills then you have to have something that allows you to have a life outside work. And I would go further and say you need to have at least a small amount of life outside work AND family.

I know that is a luxury - and very hard to achieve in hard times because of course family and the work should come first. That is responsibility - and you should be responsible.

But you only get one life! No matter how many different forms of organised mysticism try to convince you otherwise. ONE LIFE - if you have any choices to make in the deal - you might as well make choices that make you happy ... if you have relationships with other people in your life - it's a good bet that if you are happy - you will be more likely to make THEM happy!

Cheers

Squeezy

[crullers]

As long as no deadlines are in jeopardy what's the harm? You'll feel a lot better for it. Writer's block happens, although I write software I know what you are going through. The creative process has to take a rest sometimes.

[Skell18]

If you need a break, take one. I do when in work, if I just need a few minutes to contemplate or do random nothingness, I come on here, or check out the tennis, or phone my OH. Everyone does it, even my boss dose, so take a break when you need to, its healthy!

[Ainkor]

Had an interesting day myself today. Worked about 80 hours this week so far and I was really looking forward to sleeping in and trying out a new cooking recipe with my wife.

Got a call at 8am that one of my restaurants was in a heap of trouble. Got up, got dressed, did what I needed to do and home 8 or so hours later.

I love what I do, I just really dislike the choices that people make at times. There is one thing I have learned though. Be in the moment, even if it's bad, because it will pass.

Also, you can't be "on" all the time. I've found that many of my greatest moments of reflections or insight come when I am doing something completely unrelated to the that topic.

[Frankie Reloaded]

Thank you all. The point I did not stress enough is that I love this work, (always wanted to be a writer, no talent, so I got the second best - translating), I even like it most of the time I actually am doing it and its always a depressant for me to find out I cannot because I just sort of lost the ability. I could not even read the next book in line which is work, but very relaxed one, just reading a thriller But I will take a few of your kind advices.

Concerning family etc., by working at or very close to home I mix this, doing some work, then helping my wife with the kids and/or everything else, and then continuing when they go to sleep. A couple times I even managed to steal a few hours for translating on my birthday which is at Christmas

This must have been some really weird day, since it is 3am, I am still not sleepy and the doses of sleeping aids I took in the last five or so hours were rather massive. My plan was to sleep before eleven and get up around eight, so there will be plenty of time tomorrow...