Free time

I'm sitting here at my computer, typing away, giggling inside. It's Friday and I'm at home and I'm not working. At the beginning of January I started working four days a week and today is my first Friday off ... and I'm giddy with excitement!

It feels like I've just been granted a whole extra day's worth of time, which is more precious to me than gold these days. What am I going to do with all this time?? (Don't worry, I think I'll figure something out!)

I also feel like I'm starting a revolution, forging a path, paving the way - I will be the one who proves that it is possible for working moms to hold down a senior level professional job and contribute positively to an organization, while not working a traditional 40 hour week. I'm not the first to do this: I have several friends who are freelancers, my neighbour works four days/week and I know a woman who runs a virtual communications agency. Still, there need to be more of us - parents who are able to achieve a more reasonable and satisfying work-life balance, thanks to flexible work arrangements.

Of course, it doesn't take long for guilty feelings to start bursting my little bubbles of happiness. I have the day off yet I've sent my children off to their respective child care arrangements, and I have no plans to do anything differently on my subsequent Fridays off. How can I be a good mom and not want to spend this precious extra time with my children? Thankfully, I can (mostly) talk myself out of this one. These extra hours are mine, and I will use them to do things that make me feel good (everything from doing the groceries when the store isn't packed or finally defrosting the freezer to cooking, reading and checking out Pinterest). All of this will add up to a more content me, which will translate into more time for and patience with and enjoyment of my family. As everyone in this house knows, when mom's happy, everyone's happy.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go get my nails done!

PS. I'm also hopeful that this extra time will mean I can turn many of the half-written blog posts that are sitting in my draft folder or in my head, into finished posts for you to read here. Stay tuned!