work from home March 20, 2009
Posted by preetischronicle in at work, life's like that, random thoughts, this is me.4 comments
I choose to work from home today. It happens to be one of the perks of my new role. Besides the money, it’s the only other attractive thing. Oh yes! I also have a very inspiring lady for a boss. The ms. I-can-do-all-look good-have kids-manage them well sort of an efficient corporate honcho! Little V found out something unusual in the day today, so he is particularly clingy and crying easily for the smallest thing and demanding 100% attention. We have both been sitting in the living room since morning on the carpet, me hastily checking my emails on my pc and little V safely seated on 2 thick blankets (he sometimes falls backwards) with toys scattered all around us. The day went well, I got enough work done. I got to play with Little V for some extra time and fed him all his meals myself. Sneaked in some time to make a new dish for him. Spoke with two friends over the phone. Had fewer cups of tea and gulped lesser food than I do when I am stressed out at work.
So this thought came to my mind (i usually dilly dally on how comfortable this working mommy bit is, so don’t be surprised to hear from me totally tangent views at some other time). Aren’t working mums, living in a nuclear family, the most efficient bunch of people around? They never indulge in rotten office gossip. They do not want to spend extra time in office just to show off hard work. They don’t lick their boss’s feet. They are quick to respond to emails and answer phone calls at the first. Not only do they manage the office work, they are also running a household and managing baby meals, not being able to afford any showdowns in the week. They have their washing, cupboard cleaning, friends visits and weekends neatly planned out. They are ambitious but not running after that extra promotion, that additional raise, they won’t bend their standards to get there. But alas! they are also the most stressed out of the lot sometimes…me thinks.
I’ve made a move.. February 12, 2009
Posted by preetischronicle in at work, life's like that, this is me.3 comments
…from my current role to a much lighter role in the same organisation. I had decided to keep away any work related stuff from this blog. However, besides being work related, this move brings a totally different dimension to my career. I will move to a different division in the same company. This new role will require lesser time at the workplace which simply translates to more time with Little V. And that’s what I have been craving for. I am a finance background person and we thrive on deadlines, month ends, quarter ends and year end financial data and reporting. This new role won’t have any such period end commitments and will offer (hopefully) one day in the week as work from home and a more morning (8ish to 4ish) kind of a day. At this moment this opportunity sounds so perfect, like everything after this will be just alright. This reminds me of a discussion I had with my director regarding the new role and how he wanted me to think it all over and I remember him saying – any move, any position (that needs less time) will need compromise at some level, more or less, it won’t match up for the time you could be at home full time. So they wanted me to figure out if I would be happier with something lighter or would rather give it all up. His words did ring a bell, but I am hoping fewer work hours in a week, will work perfectly for me.
I was so thrilled during the run up to fetching this position, it seemed like the be all and end all of everything. Now that I have got it, I am already missing my current role and all the glamour it used to bring with it. My current division is the most sought after division at my office. And it makes me wonder if this is indeed the right thing for me. Afterall, I am leaving a glossy position for a more laid back working life. I can’t help but feel melancholic about this role change. I liked my work and I liked the glamour my role brought me, no matter how bad it got during the quarter or month ends. But on the whole I think, it will benefit Little V, who can have more of me and I can have more of him and that anything is worth this extra time we are now going to have together. Now there is another letting go happening coz of the mommy bit of me. Being a mommy changes so many things about you…its never the same again! every day is a new day!
I don’t know what I am doing November 19, 2008
Posted by preetischronicle in Little V, at work, this is me.6 comments
So the ordeal has begun. I am back to workplace.
The first day was so reminiscent of the pre-mommy-me, reminded me of usual extended hair combing sessions in the loo, chai time and gossiping at workstations. But I am a different me now. I leave a bit of me somewhere to be taken care of and walk into the office. And that puts a price tag on my time, I need to finish and rush back, no time for the chit chats now.Hubby and me dropped off little V to the so called creche with the maid in tow and his rattles, rocker too. I was in tears the moment I left him and stepped out and hubby hugged and consoled me. Aah! the comfort of those shoulders that hug me, give me warmth and absorb my tears but the heart aches. I don’t know how to deal with that. At work, 2 cups of tea were gulped and some hellos exchanged and several applauding comments were received on the weight loss achieved. And then I was getting frantic calls that little V just wouldn’t sleep and was crying inconsolably. That made me feel wretched. My nerves started tingling and eyes were teary. After 2 1/2 hours in office, I packed my laptop and rushed to him. When I reached the creche, my maid was carrying him and the moment he heard my voice, he dropped his head and gave a cry, a cry that asked mommy why did you leave me and go? My heart cried and I brought him back home. So that was day 1.
Day 2, same sequence, thank god little V didn’t cry as much, ate well and slept a little. In 3 1/2 hours I packed my stuff and headed back to get little V and spent the rest of the day at home.
Day 3, same sequence, little V eats fine at the creche. But doesn’t sleep. Not crying much, except when sleepy. Spent 4 hours in office packed my stuff and back.
Haah! Not to mention – the frantic mornings. 3 lunch boxes are to be packed – me, hubby and the maid’s. Little V’s 3 bags full..yes yes. One with foodstuff, cerelac, banana, milk, bottles and rest of the paraphernalia. One with clothes, toys, nappy changes. And his rocker. The maid has to be pushed up to speed, she’s good but she is slow. Three of us need to bathe. So much effort is required, though I am hardly spending any time in office right now. Much lesser than the usual 8 hours. Those begin from the next week and I have no clue how we all will cope with that. Mornings vanish in a flash. Time in office is spent worrying. And calling every 20-30 minutes to check on Little V. Work is left half done and I leave office. The first day Little V was nice to me, it looked like he missed me and wanted me to be with him. Today he seemed upset with whatever is going on. In 2 hours of reaching home he has slept. It seems he didn’t get much sleep there and is catching up on all of it at home now! I am hovering over him, hoping he will wake up soon, so we can spend some time together. And he refuses to budge. He’s in dreamland – I think in the comfort that he is home and the hawk mommy is around!
Three days and I seem to find everything wrong in the arrangement. I am hardly getting any rest, mentally or physically. I am making everyone in the house tag along – even the maid. I can’t concentrate in office and today Little V is sleeping ever since he’s been back. What worth is all this? How do working mums cope up? There is a me that wants to manage it all and find peace at home and good time in office, it doesn’t seem to come by right now, not in the near future.
