with Britt Reints
Forget the 9 to 5; Full Time, All the Time is a blog about the mobile working life - when you have the freedom to work from anywhere and the responsibility of always having your smartphone turned on. Britt Reints works as a freelance writer while traveling fulltime in an RV with her husband and two kids. She explores balancing real-life bills with an unconventional work life, and finding time to maintain relationships with family and friends.
You can also find Britt at InPursuitOfHappiness.net.
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I had to call my husband after he’d left for work and apologize for being such a - er - not nice person this morning.
I ended up hanging up on him about 15 minutes later.
I’ve had to apologize for my crankiness repeatedly over the last few weeks, and I wouldn’t blame my family if they were starting to doubt my sincerity. I really am sorry and I do intend to be less crabby in the future. Really.
But I’m running out of ways (and time) to relieve a boatload of excess stress right now.
You see, my family and I are 83 days away from making a major life change. We’re moving into an itty bitty RV to travel around the United States for the next year or so. My husband will be leaving his job and my kids will be home schooled for the first time in their lives.
Big. Fat. Changes.
And I’m already stressed a full 83 days before they officially begin.
The preparation stage is starting to take its toll on me. There is a lot to do. Possessions need to be sold, appointments need to be made, paperwork needs to be completed. It seems like every time I cross an item off my to-do list I discover five more things that needed to be added. On top of the stress of all of these tasks, I’m dealing with all of the natural fears and anxieties that come with making major life changes. Oh, and I also have a living to make and a future mobile income for which to prepare.
I know that my super high stress levels are perfectly normal.
Unfortunately, it’s making me a real drag to live with, I’m sure.
I’ve been using all the typical stress management techniques I know. I do a little yoga almost every morning. I take my anti-depressants religiously. I’m eating well, getting plenty of sleep, and taking mental and physical breaks. I even went to the dang spa a few weeks ago!
But I still can’t decide if I want to scream, punch or cry right now.
There are times when stress is unavoidable, it seems. We can breathe and stretch and count to a hundred, but there will still be days when we’re hanging on by our toenails to the edge of sanity. On those days - days like today - I think the only thing left to do is endure.
And tell yourself over and over and over again that this. is. temporary.
I know he’s working, and you probably have already done this, but are there things you can delegate to you husband to ease some of the pressure?
And here’s the other thing: What happens if everything’s not done in 83 days? Is it all off? The beauty of this whole plan is the freedom it will afford you, so maybe looking at the date as a goal rather than a deadline would help?
Are you getting enough friend time? That’s an important stress reliever.
Megan | March 9th, 2011 at 11:38 am
i second the friend time. i am ALSO overwhelmed and stressed over a major life change that will happen some time in the next 6-8 weeks and i have just realized that when i dont at least get friend time once a week i am waaayy more sensitive and irritated. Also calling my mom helps, but i feel like that needs to be a 2 hour+ conversation and i just haven’t had time. oooh the irony.
when you figure this out please tell us because i could use some tips right now too LOL
kate | March 10th, 2011 at 10:57 am