Coping

I think that I am FINALLY coming out of this horrible work/stress problem that I have been having. I returned to my good old 'sands and rocks' way of planning and I am happy to report that I got all but one thing done this week that was on my list this week! That is WAY better than past weeks and I think that I can finally see light at the end of the tunnel.

I have learned to delegate....especially items that are time consuming but don't add a lot to my learning process (sort of hard to explain but there are a lot of tedious things that will have to be done or entered into a spreadsheet before I can do the problem-solving part). This has helped keep my employees busy and has freed up some of my time.

I have learned to be a little more of a boss and not so much of a friend. It sucks and it isn't the way I want to operate but with a couple of my employees, it is the way it has to be. For the others, we are still more friendly but they already understand that just because I am their boss, and am nice, doesn't mean that they don't have to do work. If only everyone would get that. I hate that other people's personalities are causing me to change my management style but it is what it is.

I have decided that I am going to try not to travel 5 days a week. Most auctions close early on Friday so I am going to start leaving on Thursdays after work. I think that this will help because it will make my out of town time each week a 4:3 ration instead of 5:2. I don't feel like I will lose any work time this way and it will also save the company money. Plus, Craig plays soccer on Thursdays so it won't matter that I will get home later.

The diet seems to be going pretty well. I feel pretty good but not sure that it has really made me lose weight. Ugh. I am going to stick with it though....even if I don't lose weight, I will at least be healthy :-)

So, anyway, that is what I have been up to....I didn't promise it would be an exciting post but at least I don't feel half crazy now :-)

Made it?

T (from work) tells me that stress is the first sign of success. If that is true then I am pretty darn successful. K (from work) tells me what doesn't kill me makes me stronger (to which I replied "is there a guarantee it won't kill me" and he said "no"). yeah, so that is how my week has gone.

The promo is a bit challenging. In every meaning of the word but I made it. I don't like to elaborate too much on my blog about work so I will leave it at the fact that I worked all day Tuesday, then had a work dinner until 10pm, back at work at 8 on Wednesday and another work dinner until 10pm and then more meetings today. I am absolutely exhausted and I don't even have a cute kid to look at as the reward. Sigh....

Let's focus on the positive.

Wonderful time at girls' weekend though I felt a little cranky the first day as the work stuff was leaving my brain (sorry girls). Had drinks with a friend Monday night that I hadn't seen since December. Got to see my adorable niece and nephew on Sunday. I did get eaten alive by mosquitoes but it was worth it. Ariyana was hilarious. She now "breast feeds" her babies/stuffed animals after seeing my sister do it. The last time was in the middle of Kohl's when she decided to pull up her shirt and feed Otter. She also has decided that she needs to "punk" (pump) while in the bathtub. Zach said he could see her little mind working as she took one of the toys that suctions to the wall on the tub and stuck it up to her chest. Then another. Then she informed him that she was "punking". While he was telling the story she heard him and said "No now Daddy, only in the bathtub". Hilarious in my eyes.

That cute little thing asked me if she could come in my silver car (which she hasn't been in since December) to "hio" (Ohio) with me. It was so sad to tell her not right now. She said "maybe?" like it might change my mind....sad. I love that little girl! After she went to bed I held Maddox for an hour or two straight, my sister said he had his best night of sleep ever that night. Maybe I have a magic touch. It was so nice to see my mom too and it was totally worth getting home at midnight :-)