When I gave up my full-time job in January, I had a rosy vision of future domestic bliss. Dust would be permanently banished from the top of my piano and I’d have a regular acquaintance with the bottom of my ironing basket. Every meal would be cooked from scratch, using veg home grown by me in between dashing off brilliant freelance articles.
So I was startled the other day to realise that my house is now messier than ever. Yet with my life no longer dominated by the day job, how could I be too short of time to do housework?
Then I had a revelation. Just because I no longer work full time doesn’t mean my daytime hours are idle. I’m busier than ever, with three regular monthly columns to write, my online blog, private PR clients knocking on my door and a new part-time job helping to run a charity. These all take up a lot of time. And, in ex-politician’s tradition, I’m spending much more time with my family.
In my previous incarnation, “I haven’t had time” was a frequent excuse. But now I realise that’s not the issue at all. Rather, my priorities have changed.
So now, if looking to explain why I haven’t done the ironing (or the dusting, or the hovering) my standard response is: “I’ve been giving priority to other things.” And boy, has it been fun!
A friend’s late mother lived by a simple maxim: “B***** the ironing”. That sums it all up, really. In fact, I’m thinking of having it made into a lapel badge – that is, when I’m not too busy giving priority to other things.
This post was originally published in the July 2010 issue of the Hawkesbury Parish News.
