A few months back when I decided to be independent, I envisaged some work, some teaching, some blogging and some time on my hand to pursue passions like reading and watching old flicks on DVD.
But time is the one thing that I have not been able to find at all. As for reading, just forget it. I have also realised that I am sleeping less, watching less TV and hardly watching any DVD's. What has definitely increased are my tension levels and my run ins with various organisations and government departments.
And of course running those many more errands for my wife and my daughter.
So folks, I want my job back. Where, I would get up in the morning, go for my run, see off my daughter to school, hit my desk by 9, spend whole day in meetings, discussions, more meetings, more discussions, recruiting, following up with creative, trying to meet deadlines, meeting with consumers, negotiating fees with clients, pitching for new business, eating unhealthy food in between, commercial meetings, meetings with global network officials, just making it to the PTM and then just making it back for another client meeting, crisis meetings, increment meetings...... be back home not before 8, watch the favourite serial, listen to daughter's achievement in school, quiet time with wifey, finish a presentation and then instant sleep. Give all that back to me, please.
No, I have not gone mad. But I think everyone around me has. Everyone thinks that since I have no job, I have lots of time on hand. So I am given lots of hand me down jobs, family expectations from me have increased, even the building I live in, the society has passed on some of its chores to me.
On a typical day this is what happens. I get up earlier than usual ( oh! you can catch up with sleep during the day), pack off my daughter to the school bus, hit the gym (the only me time I get), sort out various issues with banks, electricity board, driving license, proof of residence, aadhar card (sir is not in, can you come tomorrow, we have misplaced your application, can you get an affidavit attached with this, systems are down today)......it's an endless list, it's time to collect my daughter from the school bus. Hurried lunch and off we go to her tennis class which is 8 kms one way, then back to the house and try to squeeze some time to meet up with my parents who are only two kms away (hey we are in the same city, same area and you barely find time to come and meet us!), daughter's school homework ( why don't you help her, you have so much time on hand!), early dinner, put daughter to bed ( papa, you don't spend any time with me!). Then I focus on my work, my blog and preparing for my guest lectures. Before I know it is past 11 pm!
Oh how I miss the hustle bustle of deadlines, the demands of clients, the tantrums of creative, the threats of resignations, the increment discussions, the fees discussions with clients, the tension of new business pitches, the pressure from the network. I will trade in my current "free time" with all that. Will someone oblige me, please?
But time is the one thing that I have not been able to find at all. As for reading, just forget it. I have also realised that I am sleeping less, watching less TV and hardly watching any DVD's. What has definitely increased are my tension levels and my run ins with various organisations and government departments.
And of course running those many more errands for my wife and my daughter.
So folks, I want my job back. Where, I would get up in the morning, go for my run, see off my daughter to school, hit my desk by 9, spend whole day in meetings, discussions, more meetings, more discussions, recruiting, following up with creative, trying to meet deadlines, meeting with consumers, negotiating fees with clients, pitching for new business, eating unhealthy food in between, commercial meetings, meetings with global network officials, just making it to the PTM and then just making it back for another client meeting, crisis meetings, increment meetings...... be back home not before 8, watch the favourite serial, listen to daughter's achievement in school, quiet time with wifey, finish a presentation and then instant sleep. Give all that back to me, please.
No, I have not gone mad. But I think everyone around me has. Everyone thinks that since I have no job, I have lots of time on hand. So I am given lots of hand me down jobs, family expectations from me have increased, even the building I live in, the society has passed on some of its chores to me.
On a typical day this is what happens. I get up earlier than usual ( oh! you can catch up with sleep during the day), pack off my daughter to the school bus, hit the gym (the only me time I get), sort out various issues with banks, electricity board, driving license, proof of residence, aadhar card (sir is not in, can you come tomorrow, we have misplaced your application, can you get an affidavit attached with this, systems are down today)......it's an endless list, it's time to collect my daughter from the school bus. Hurried lunch and off we go to her tennis class which is 8 kms one way, then back to the house and try to squeeze some time to meet up with my parents who are only two kms away (hey we are in the same city, same area and you barely find time to come and meet us!), daughter's school homework ( why don't you help her, you have so much time on hand!), early dinner, put daughter to bed ( papa, you don't spend any time with me!). Then I focus on my work, my blog and preparing for my guest lectures. Before I know it is past 11 pm!
Oh how I miss the hustle bustle of deadlines, the demands of clients, the tantrums of creative, the threats of resignations, the increment discussions, the fees discussions with clients, the tension of new business pitches, the pressure from the network. I will trade in my current "free time" with all that. Will someone oblige me, please?
