I have had the pleasure of working closely with a young woman I can only describe as amazing. She runs her own business and has many, many clients that she gives her all to. Consequently, she is one of the busiest people I know.
She took four weeks off work recently and disappeared to Byron Bay for a complete change of pace. While there she informed her partner that she was ready to settle into a lifestyle of full-time wife and mother. She was currently neither and he knew her well enough to ignore her.
It’s the classic ‘other life’ fantasy. How many times through the years have I envied the mothers at my son’s school who drop their children at school and then head-off for coffee, followed by a trip to the hairdresser, a spot of shopping and then lunch with the girls? My husband tells me I would be bored in a minute if that was my life and he is right of course. But it would be nice to trade places every now and then. Even just for one day.
My younger business associate was dreaming about checking out of her current work life because she was suffering burn out. 2012 was an exhausting year for most and this year has started back with a bang. When I caught up with her recently it was to discuss a second project with her. She had so delighted me with her work on the initial project I engaged her to do that I simply wanted more of her. I suspect that is the case with all of her clients, and why she felt burnt out as the year ended.
Of course she won’t check out of her career any time soon. In fact, she says that as soon as she landed back in Sydney she was climbing walls, itching to get back to work. The cycle has started over. Feeling refreshed and ready to go again she has thrown herself into her job and is already working at a frenetic pace. She believes it won’t be forever and by working hard to set things up now she will be able to pace herself down the line.
I used to think the same.