One of Me

One of Me

There is only so much of me to go around.

I said that to the fridge this morning when I opened it and realised we need to go to the supermarket.

Again.

I said it to the email alert reminding me that I have xx weeks left to complete Zee’s school place application.

I was about to mumble it to the pile of dirty laundry growing bigger day by day in the linen basket, when I realised that the Greek God(zilla) had already taken care of it.

I was about to thank him when I reminded myself that it is his laundry too.

And, we both work.

There are only so many hours in the day I complained as I added ‘book Zee’s dentist appointment’  to the list that now fills 3 post-it notes stuck to my screen.

Book tennis lessons for next year, book swimming lessons for next term, complete school place application, arrange playdate for Zee, buy present for 3-year old birthday party, shop for food, make dinner, call parents, call the Greek God(zilla)’s parents, take Zee shoe shopping, write blog post, tweet someone… anyone, buy present for 2-year old birthday party, buy secret santa gift for kids Christmas party, organise office secret santa, buy present for Dad’s birthday, book cinema tickets, Christmas… get.on.with.it., read to Zee, tickle Zee, kiss Zee, take Zee to playground, take Zee to nursery, take Zee to friend’s house, create menu for Greek God(zilla)’s birthday party, clean something…clean everything, finish writing eBook, send photos for eBook, W.I…. I am meant to be doing something (?) before the next committee meeting, go for a run, pluck eyebrows, make cheesecake for dinner party on Saturday, read blogs, read RED magazine, read anything… just read, nag husband to hang pictures on walls, choose a moment to ask Greek Godzilla if the car is ready to be discharged yet following emergency gearbox surgery, do the ironing, research villas in Crete for holiday next year, reply to emails, Skype, watch shows backed up on tv planner, work out how to use Google+, change bed sheets, ask cleaner to change bed sheets, buy baby wipes, buy blueberries, help Zee make foam monsters, go to work.

Nothing unusual to every other family to-do list out there, but it just feels never-ending at the moment and I know that I probably feel more stressed because Zee starts school next year and even though I am sure that he will be fine, I am not convinced that I will be.

So anyway, you can imagine my frame of mind when I received an email reminding me about a kids event that I had been invited to (as a blogger) during half term next week, but had previously not responded to.

I DO NOT HAVE SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN was what I wanted to reply.

Instead, I typed: Sorry, I will be at work next week.

I received a nice reply thanking me for letting them know.

Then about a minute later, I received another reply saying it would be great if I could still share the news with my blog readers about the activities they are organising next week.

What I wanted to reply is: Darling, I barely have time to write my own content with my current work and family commitments, let alone add another couple of hours to my already fit to burst schedule to read your press release about something that is not relevant to me, write-up about something that is not relevant to me, and then share something with MY network that is not relevant to me.

Instead, I typed: Sure, shall I send you my ad rates?

Now I don’t have ad rates, this blog is a hobby and that is all.  I love writing stories about my brilliant, hilarious, wonderful family and I hope that when Zee is older, he will enjoy reading about them all too.

I was making a point because they caught me at a bad moment, when I was feeling a bit overwhelmed by how much I need to do, and I was tired.

I also receive about 30 different blog review/event/sponsored post requests a week and most of them are not relevant to me, my family or my blog.   It has become easier to just ignore them all.

But I also think that if you want me to write about your business, then you should expect to pay for it.

I do not write this blog to advertise your business.  I write this blog because I enjoy writing and because I want Zee to have a diary of his first years to look back on.

I am sure that he will not be the slightest bit interested in reading a post about an event that neither of us even attended.

My time is so precious to me, especially at the moment while life is so busy.  I would LOVE to blog more, to read more and to comment on more blogs – it takes up a lot of time and I feel very time poor right now.

I know I just need to tick a few things off the list and all will feel right with my own little world again.

Then I’ll go back to simply ignoring and deleting all the non-relevant emails, but yesterday you caught me at the wrong time.

I am a mother, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a granddaughter, an aunt, a niece, a Godmother, a daughter in-law, a sister in-law, a friend, a colleague, a broken car owner, a blogger, a jogger (!), an employer and an employee.

There is only so much of me to go around.

How do you find the right balance?

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16 Comments

  1. October 26, 2012 / 7:53 PM

    I am with you 100%!!! I can be heard frequently saying, mumbling and shouting the words ‘there is only one of me!” To the point where I could cry as I’m so tired and there is so much to do. But we do it and we do the best we can and if some things get missed along the way, as long as it isn’t a child, that’s ok with me! Great post

    • Grenglish
      Author
      November 1, 2012 / 5:15 PM

      Thanks NIkki, you are so right that it is ok if some things get missed along the way.

  2. October 27, 2012 / 9:33 PM

    Great post – so well written – loved the paragraph that listed all your jobs and to do’s, my heart started beating faster – I could really feel the pressure. And as for PR’s – honestly, can’t they take a hint sometimes? I think they are down there with estate agents (I am hoping when I said that the Greek Godzilla is not an estate agent – and if he is, he’s a class above the rest!). Fab, fab post!

    • Grenglish
      Author
      November 1, 2012 / 5:15 PM

      haha not an estate agent he is a journalist! Are they as bad?
      xx

  3. October 29, 2012 / 9:58 AM

    I am with you too – brilliantly written and it made me smile when you said you were talking to the fridge – I do that too, and the washing basket, and the bookbags, and the coats on the porch floor, and the piles and piles of letters from the NHS asking me for the same information time and time again… I am clearly not worthy enough to be besieged by PR’s – the ones I do get are asking me to write about their product, that I’m not interested in, for free – hitting delete can sometimes be quite therapeutic!

    • Grenglish
      Author
      November 1, 2012 / 5:11 PM

      We are clearly all nutjobs talking to our appliances 🙂

      Ooooh those emails irritate me too!

  4. October 29, 2012 / 12:22 PM

    You’ve just stressed me out!!!! I too have way too many things ‘pending’ and no where near enough time to do it all in. Eeeeek!

    • Grenglish
      Author
      November 1, 2012 / 5:10 PM

      Whoops, sorry! I have actually used this post a to-do list and started ticking things off it. Feel much more in control now… kind of!

  5. Chloe
    October 29, 2012 / 1:21 PM

    I feel like you do constantly and I only have me to take care of (and no blog). I have no freaking idea how you or any parent works and takes care of kids. Absolutly no idea at all!

    • Grenglish
      Author
      November 1, 2012 / 5:09 PM

      you just kind of get on with it Chloe! Don’t let it put you off 🙂

  6. November 1, 2012 / 1:00 PM

    there was me feeling guilty for reading this so late and you have immediately allayed it! it’s a struggle but I find employing a cleaner a life saver. It sounds like you need a cook too! oh, and a sainsbury’s delivery. Saves hours and includes wine.

    • Grenglish
      Author
      November 1, 2012 / 5:06 PM

      Haha cleaner.. tick! Ooooh a cook would be nice though 🙂

  7. November 4, 2012 / 9:43 PM

    Oh god I feel like I could have written this post (only not as well as you!) – hope you’ve managed to tick a few things off xx

    • Grenglish
      Author
      November 9, 2012 / 4:45 PM

      Yes definitely feels more in control now!

  8. November 5, 2012 / 6:06 PM

    Oh this could be me writing this, only I find it difficult to say ‘no’ to the review requests if they are relevant; I’m on a part-time wage and it means I don’t have to spend the money on something that I would otherwise be buying.

    However, I digress: how do we find time to do everything? Goodness only knows and if you find the magic formula can you tell me?

    Popping over from last week’s Britmums Best Post

    • Grenglish
      Author
      November 9, 2012 / 4:44 PM

      No judgement on the PR request thing, I work f/t so just don’t have time to do them more than anything… even if they were relevant!
      Sometimes I feel more in control of the to-do list than others. Managed to tick off a few things last week so this week feels relatively calm in comparison!
      Will change again in a blink of an eye though 🙂

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