Work Transition Checkpoint: First Few Days
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 11:29AM 
the ultimate productivity touchstone: laundry
If I may indulge (spoiler: I will), I thought I'd share a few random thoughts and observations on leaving work and my first few days at home. From the profound to the mundane, a Work Transition Checkpoint...
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Friday was my last day at the office. I spent most of it sifting through, purging and packing up what remained of my cubicle wares, and spent the rest of it saying goodbye to my colleagues. When came time to shut down the computer and leave the office I got emotional. Before leaving I glanced around the empty floor, bawled my way to the parking lot and halfway home. It felt like I was closing a door on major chapter of my life.
Melodramatic? Maybe. Real? Yes.
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Saturday night I spent a few hours working on an introductory PowerPoint slide show/movie for this space, Creative Living Experiment. Ironically that's exactly what I'd been doing during the last two weeks at the office except the subject matter was Business Intelligence.
Funny how I immediately gravitated to what I know. Yes, PowerPoint is my security blanket. And yes, I need to find better things to do on a Saturday night.
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Yesterday was my first "official" day on leave (I had Mondays off so Monday was just another regular day in my book). All of a sudden I became extremely aware that there would be no paychecks coming in anymore, feeling fear and insecurity quickly making their way into my thoughts. I knew that would come, but geez, on Day 1?
I sat with the feelings, journaled about them and worked my way through, realizing that they stem from a lack of trust in my own abilities and a fundamental belief that I am unable to bring in money other than working for the government. KABLAMO!
Must explore that one further.
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I'm working on a few creative projects that bring me joy. I've taken action and small risks (to me). Maybe it's training for bigger ones to come?
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I am also doing a LOT of laundry. Load after load, it makes me feel productive. Dirty clothes in --> clean clothes out = immediate satisfaction. I'm running out of stuff to wash though, soon I'll have to find another way to deal with my productivity-related issues. Too bad vacuuming doesn't have the same effect.
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Till the next checkpoint...
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Reader Comments (6)
Steph, I am so proud of what you are doing. Making a big change like this takes courage and a lot of faith and trust (and a little pixie dust) and you are LEAPING into some great stuff, Lady! I think it's great that you are taking time to feel what comes up and writing, processing, working your way through it. You are my hero - so brave!
BTW...I also do laundry when I need to feel productive. It's an amazing morale booster! you know what they say about great minds...
Sure do love you and am so excited for you as you start this new chapter!
xo
Love hearing how things are going. It all sounds good:)
@ Liz - Thank you for your constant, supportive presence, I love seeing you here. xo
@ Amy - Thank you for your kind and supportive words, they mean a lot. And I'm very relieved I'm not the only one with a laundry-productivity obsession. Great minds indeed... : ) xo
Hope you know by my name who this is - I need an alias, dontchaknow!!
Miss ya around these parts, Steph! Time for me to get back to "work" ;)
Hi Stephanie,
I just heard about your new career move from your sister (who I'm going to meet in NYC this weekend. My niece, Stephanie, will be running in the marathon). I can understand the fear that you might be feeling leaving your current job but at the same, it's exciting to pursue a new career in a field that you love. I'm a big believer in that when you do something you love, success will find you. New opportunities are going to come your way when you create and put your artwork and other talents out there.
You may find, too, that your experience working with the government will help you in your new career. Knowing how a business runs (computer software and all) is very helpful to anyone who is self-employed. Plus, you may have insight in government art grants and programs.
P.S.: Clean laundry is always a good thing. :)
@ SteveJ - It took me a while, but I figured out who you are - and that was *withouth* signing into my blog and checking out your email addy. ; )
@ Susanna - It's so lovely to meet you Susanna! Thank you for your kind words of support. I look forward to seeing where this journey will take me, all the while practising being ok with the not knowing. I hope you have - or had - a nice visit with Sis this weekend. : )