I have a problem in that I love my work but at the same time I really love being at home, with my family and doing my hobbies like gardening, cooking or painting. These 2 aspects of my life are regularly at odds with each other.
We have an impending deadline at the moment which has raised the stress levels considerably (I dream process flowcharts!), I hardly sit still at work (e.g. today I didn't even get a chance to turn on my laptop - the wonders of blackberry) - and its a buzz!
But in the rare quiet moments, like when I find 30seconds to go for a pee, I wonder about my rose bushes and wish I was at home pottering around the garden. In that moment I resent my job. I continue to resent it for the rest of the day and particularly when I'm driving home in heavy traffic. I resent my clients who are unrealistic narcissistic knobs (fortunately not all of them) and I spend my day having to kowtow to their whims. This is the fate of a consultant, it comes with the job description to be a sycophant. Its called client relationship management. It even has an acronym: CRM.
Urban dictionary has an exemplary definition of the word "client":
Noun. Person severely lacking in intelligence and common sense. See idiotand fuckwit.
Our client just asked us to send them a copy of the internet on CD.
I know at some point one of the two will have to give - obviously to what extent this will be will depend on circumstances. On my drive home from work each night, I wonder what life could be like if I were to give up the life of a consultant and find some regular means of bringing in an income and be able to watch my roses (and hopefully some kids soon).
I know I'm not the only one. Which side of the fence is winning for you?
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