chilts.org
Andy Chilton
Seeing the Old Me
Over the past few weeks, I have been working extra hard. Too hard in fact. Long hours, many days and that means I have a problem.
Well, I say one problem, it's more a group of problems. In fact, I seem to be getting quite a few problems that my little group of them is becoming quite a collection.
You see, because I've been in work too much I haven't been living my life the best way I should.
Reasons for Having Problems
My goal when I started this blog off in September was to work a four day week. That lasted two months until I had to work a five day week. In January I was working at least a six day if not a seven day week, and they were pretty long too.
This causes no end of problems.
The reasons for the problems however are all due to one thing. Time.
Time.
That one little word.
Say it again... time.
It's something that I have had very little of recently. That small, four letter, very smooth, round and mellow word is the cause of many of my more recent problems (which I shall get on to shortly). Of course, it hasn't been because I have had so much of it but rather because I have had so little of it.
Effects of Lack of Time
Going shopping has been a pain. The fact that my local supermarket which is on my walk home from work is open until 11pm has been a great lifesaver since my 10 or 12 hours days have given me little in the way of opportunities to actually go and get food - which has mainly consisted this month of buying milk, bread and stuff to put on sandwiches. And of course, since I just had to go whenever I needed, I always forgot to take my re-useable bags with me.
My home life has also been a bit chaotic. I've been washing and hanging my clothes out at lunchtimes since they seemed to be the only parts of the day I could actually relax. A quick walk home, put in some washing, make some food, hang the washing out, walk back to work. It still makes it busy and I never really got chance to sit on my back deck and watch the world go by.
Granted, work has been buying (mostly) food each evening to keep us alive but of course, the food bought then mostly consists of take-aways which I got pretty tired of eating quite soon. Pizza is okay every now and again, but three times in a week is not good. Added to that is the fact that they aren't really that healthy for you and I'd much rather be eating something of my own creation.
Every so often I considered that I would be able to make something at home too (and recently have been forcing myself home for tea too) but many times I would buy something with the intention of cooking it but never getting around to it. So I even had to throw away food which is something I try not to do at all these days. So there is one way I've wasted money.
The Things I Have Reverted To (and Hence Wasted Money)
Occasionally I'd be leaving work at a half decent hour but of course felt too tired to cook. Hence I would end up eating out at prices which are about twice you can make two wholesome meals for at home.
I also even reverted to buying chocolate, coke or even coffee during those really stressful days (when I really thought that I should treat myself). Firstly, we know how much these little things add up over time but also upon reflection they just aren't worth it. Even though I was working hard because I was asked to, I almost slipped back into the vicious cycle:
- I treated myself because I was working too hard
- I was working hard because I needed the money
- I needed the money because I was treating myself
Compare this to when I was working a four day week and you can see that it is an upwards spiral:
- I could work a four day week because I wasn't treating myself
- I didn't have to treat myself because I didn't feel all stressed out
- I didn't feel stressed out because I was working a four day week
As you can see, I'd rather be in the second upward cycle than the first downward one.
It was Close
Certainly there were times this month when I spent too much, either on food or otherwise. Also since I wasn't going out on my bike as much (a free activity), some of the other activities I was getting up to were things that cost money and were reasonably expensive. They also happened to be the most convenient. It turns out that not only did I have very few hours of spare time but January was also the most expensive month I've had in months.
Go figure.
It doesn't make sense does it? But it's all perfectly explicable. To relieve the tension, the strain and the stress, I turned to the quick, easy and expensive options. My old, dark days were filtering back through the dark clouds.
At one stage in the month, I was even thinking to myself "Creepers, maybe I have to go back to a five day week just to keep up with my spending!"
Which shocked me. Once I had that thought, I decided to confront the powers that be and told them that I would have to go back to a sensible and somewhat normal work week once February kicks in. I'm sure I'll be doing a 5 day work week again this month though I suspect things will be back to normal come March.
I just hope that the extra pay from January, the extra from February and any overtime/time off in lieu I get is all worth it in the end. We'll soon see (I hope).
Have you ever had problems falling away from the straight and narrow with your finances and had to force yourself to get back on the right tracks?
Labels: earning, eating, working, spending
Inserted: 2009-02-09 22:30 (2 years, 12 months ago)
3 Comments
1. Concetta
Hey, its good to see you're back!
I've been working a lot of hours lately too. January is always a doozy in my opinion.
Don't stress out too much over falling off the pathway. That's how people kill things mentally. They tell you not to do that when you diet, too - so I think it works here :-)
One of the things I picked up on in your post was under the upward spiral:
"I could work a four day week because I wasn't treating myself"
That IS treating yourself :-) You're treating yourself to feeling better and getting yourself better psychologically.
I know you'll get back on track, and your overtime should put a nice dent in your debts / or a nice bump in your savings :-)
Inserted: 2009-02-10 03:52 (2 years, 12 months ago)
2. Amanda
Andy, great post! Really, I could so relate to what you wrote.
Thanks for stopping by Beautiful Blog Designs AND taking time to comment.
Inserted: 2009-02-17 03:01 (2 years, 11 months ago)
3. Andy @ Retire at 40
Concetta, you're so right about how a four day week <em>is</em> about treating yourself. In fact, you inspired me to write a blog post about it - though it won't be appearing here ... watch this space :)
Inserted: 2009-02-27 22:08 (2 years, 11 months ago)