Since we moved to George, I've felt like my head has been encased in candy floss. I get stuff done, but - being based at the factory - I do not feel anywhere nearly as productive as normal with so many disruptions throughout the day. Considering that I've been working from home, on my own, for the better part of 20 years, going into the office everyday where there are people around, is an adjustment.
What has probably hit me harder has been the time shift. I'm at the factory from just after 7am until 5pm.
My normal (pre-move) schedule worked as follows:
Get up around 07h30. At my computer by 08h00 or a bit after.
Work until 16h00 - 17h00. Sometimes I had errands to do in the day, sometimes I got blissful uninterrupted days. In general, let's say a 6hr - 9hr day at my desk.
After work, take Rusty for an outing - run, walk, paddle. This could be 1hr to 90 mins.
Get home, make dinner while listening to an audio book, shower, eat.
By 20h00 I'm either watching an episode of something on Netflix or working again.
Some nights I'd work two or three hours and then watch a Netflix before bed or I'd watch one Netflix episode and then work for a few hours, or I'd just work, putting in another 3-6hrs.
Bedtime was most often after midnight - usually 01h00 and sometimes as late as 03h00. Read for a bit and then sleep.
Weekends usually had some play and some work - depending on what was happening. At one stage, for almost two years, I'd probably load in another 15hrs of work over weekends, but I'm chilling a bit more now.
Now, I'm at work for 10hrs (under artificial lighting) with lots and lots and lots of disruptions so I'm struggling to focus on anything. And, when I have stuff to write, I usually need a good few quiet, uninterrupted hours to write and get done.
After work, I take Rusty out, get home around 19h00, feed Rusts, eat (dinner is currently made for me every night - a treat!), shower, maybe do some work for an hour (not often), watch an episode on Netflix, read for a bit and then sleep to wake up at 6am. I haven't been working much on weekends - the past months have been catching up with me.
On the current schedule, I'm losing not only uninterrupted hours, but also actual productive work hours. I cannot stay up-to-date (and/or make any headway) if I'm not working almost every night.
Of course, the aim of being at the factory is to be here for some stuff (which has been a juggle in the past not being at the factory) and to achieve home-work separation (something I've never had). The reality is that I'm not going to be able to not work afterhours for at least another year. That's the price you pay for having two start-up companies to run and not enough hours in the day.
So, all-in-all, I'm feeling like I'm just getting further and further behind every day. And I already felt like that even with putting in the hours that I did before.
I'll definitely need some days at home next week just to gain some ground.
I've been a night owl for a good 25 years. I switch on in the afternoons when many people hit a slump. It's just the way I'm wired. 6am - it is painful!
Once we're properly settled at the factory and also when I'm settled in my new home (moving in 16 Dec), I'll find my feet and a balance that works better for me.
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