it's time to spill some beans! why? being i am leaving for california and am really lacking in motivation.
at the end of may i got some poopy life changing news... well... i was laid off from my job. nothing to do with my professional career woman skillz. just a big business buyout. anyway i had the opportunity to work until last friday which means that since yesterday i have been a real lady of leisure.
i had a couple of interviews at a new company, and thought that everything was going really well, but they decided to go with an internal candidate instead, because they would already know the ropes of the company and stuff.
so my problem now is that i am home with "nothing" to do. i say "nothing" like that with those quotation marks because it's not like i really have nothing to do. yesterday i went to the library and to a vegetable market, today i am going to the sewing studio to finish my dress, etc... the problem is twofold. 1) i can't just watch tvs all day - it's too boring for me. i have not not had a job since i was 15. i need to feel productive, otherwise i feel guilty. guilty about what? i don't know... who can explain the workings of the inner mind. i'm hoping this feeling will subside. 2) i am at home all day = BOREDOM EATING. my whole day is trying to resist eating from boredom. i have to say that i have a new respect for SATMs. i always knew it was easier to have an eating routine at work! i am leaving for vacation on sunday morning and i'd prefer not to feel like a blob since i couldn't keep my hands off the loaf of bread. yes people, this is what i'm going for... dempster's run-of-the-mill, whole wheat bread.
and then there is this bum pain. it gets better and worse throughout the day but when i wake up in the morning i can hardly walk over to the kettle. but don't worry - i have a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning. i'm hoping for an instant cure. ;o) i want to go runnning so badly but it's out of the question. yesterday i went swimming and that was fine. i am going again today.
for breakfast today i had a big fruit salad. strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, 1/2 banana and a source tango yogurt. for lunch i will have a turkey and sprouts sandwich on whole wheat with hummus and another source yogurt. and for dinner... not sure yet.
does anyone have any stay-at-home advice?
17 comments:
When I was just going to school and living with my BF who was working I got bored at home too. I found it gave me more time to try out "complicated and healthy recipes". The act of cooking took time and diminished the amount of time I was bored eating. Also, I cleaned a fair bit and walked EVERYWHERE. I walked to the store 6K away. I walked to the gym. I know that isn't an option for you while you are hurt, but its a good altnernative later.
You could borrow a couple kidlets to constantly be making messes and bickering - that will drive you completely insane
Menu. Plan.
It's my lifeline. It doesn't always work, but usually it does. There is a reason I type out my daily menu in my blog everyday. If it's written down already then I feel guilty if I eat soemthing that I didn't plan for. 98% of the time I realize that I don't need it and don't have it.
Also, get out of the house. Go sit at a coffee shop or in the park with your books. It helps. Even just getting out to the back deck with a diet Coke helps me.
Sorry about your job girl. I know you really liked it.
total balls about the jobbo.
How about volunteering for a non-profit in a capacity that will boost a resume in the interim?
Could keep you busy and maybe learn a few things.
I agree with Marie's suggestion because I was going to say the same thing!!! Volunteer and apply for any prospective jobs that pop up!!
When I was off work for a while I turned into Martha Stewart...I do a lot of little things around the house and found lots of new recipes. I discovered new areas around town...all sorts of things!!
And I also agree with Jaime's idea of a menu plan...I would be nothing without structure.
I am so sorry about your job!
I am off until the end of August and I like eating at home all day because I can eat what I feel like, not what I felt like last night when I packed my lunch.
On the other hand, there is no structure like there is when I am work, so it is harder to keep myself from eating all day.
At home, I tend to not snack during the day - although I do at work. If I want something, then I have a cup of tea, and it usually works if it is just boredom eating. Planning has not worked for me lately, it is like I am trying to rebel from myself! But maybe if you plan everything you eat the night before? That might really help.
Also, staying busy REALLY helps!
don't park yourself in front of the t.v. that's my downfall every time.
Like others said, plan plan plan! But where I fail is that I often won't stick with the plan.
Go to the library (sorry, I'm a librarian, what else can I advise?). It's free and you can borrow cookbooks filled with "complicated and healthy recipes", as well as DVDs.
Make yourself a daily routine and stick to it. It's very easy to stay in your pyjamas until 11:30 in the morning (I speak from experience, here).
I'm sorry your job has ended. Enjoy the summer while you're looking for another one. There are worse things than being unemployed in the summertime (I've been unemployed in the summer and the winter. I prefer employment but if I had to choose when I was unemployed, summer would be it!)
that blows about the job!! Stupid buy outs and everything. I hope that you find something and I'll remind my aunt to let me know about job openings at Random House.
I like the sound of Shelley's and Marie's tips!
oooii. Sorry to hear about the job. What to do - take up some hobbies, do what you're doing - library, sewing machine. Things you look at when you're working and put them off. And workout 3 times a day for fun. Hahha.
As a teacher, getting through the summer I have to keep busy. It has taught me though, that I'll never be a SAHM!!! I don't know how they do it, but I also have a great respect for them!
dude that sucks. However if I were you I'd make the best of it. How often (since school) do you get summers off? Yeah, hunt for a job, but don't start until Sept (if you can help it). You could do a part time crappy summer job type thing if you want with no stress or anything. Definately volunteer, read lots of books, take yoga classes etc.
I wish I did have some advice but unfortunately we're made from the same mold! I get stir crazy even being home for one day! I usually end up cleaning for most of the day! But you very well can't do that all day now can you?
Cooking is a fantastic idea! So is volunteering. Good thing you have all these bright girls throwing suggestions your way because I'm stumped!
i am so sorry about your job. i know you will find something soon. in the mean time, you could take some courses, or volunteer. Good luck, you are going to california so soon. eee.
Hmmm. YOu only have a couple days so you can prepare more for your trip. Maybe visit some friends that are SAHM or family members. Try a new workout class - like a yoga or something. Some more sewing projects? Painting projects?
Sorry about your job, too. You're very talented. Something better will come along!
I'm a different Sara from the one who posted already; I've been lurking for awhile, but I finally feel like I have something to contribute :)
One of the best ideas I've ever been given about managing your eating when you have no set schedule is to both menu plan, like someone already suggested, but also to have set times that you eat. Either you decide on actual times for meals (say, breakfast is at 7, snack at 10, lunch at noon, etc.) or choose intervals for meals (i.e. snack can't be less than 3 hours after breakfast, lunch needs to be at least 2 hours after that, etc.). Does that make sense? Defining when I can eat and not just what has made such a difference in controlling my all-day noshings. If I find myself trolling the fridge for, you know, "something," it's easier to put the reins on if I look at the clock and say, "It's 11 now; I only need to wait one more hour until lunch." And then a big drink of water and/or some gum--plus finding something else to do--can be enough to distract me away until it really is time to eat.
Then if that doesn't work, you're more than welcome to borrow a couple of my kids to try out that idea! :)
Also, I just moved away from California after living there for 6 years (3 in Orange County and 3 in Monterey), and I'm more than a little jealous of your upcoming trip. I hope you have a great time! Be sure to pack a few layers to be able to wear on the northern part of your trip--July is one of the coldest months in the Central Coast region (but then it can turn hot with no warning, hence the layers).
And also also, I love your blog.
late to the party but for me it is all about the plan.
when I initially sold my biz and plopped at the computer to write my manuscript it got UGLY.
the pieces flowed and was hammered out in 2 months.
the food flowed and when I was done I had some major saddlebags.
in summation: dont be me.
Miz.
Aw I'm sorry about your job! That totally sucks. My mom was laid off once and that was one of the only times I've ever seen her cry. Oh well.
As for the bum pain/sciatica, my mom has the same thing, and as far as I know there is no instant cure. Hers acts up sometimes, and other times it's fine.
Sorry to hear about the job loss, hope some new opportunities pop up real soon. I was once out of work for 3 months and thought I would go crazy. I did a lot of cross stitch, lots of walks and of course the non-stop resume sending assembly line. It's tough to avoid the boredom munchies-the tv is evil when it comes to that!
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