Keris Bueller's Day Off

One thing I've realised in the past year working from home and working for myself is that I can't switch off. I check my email constantly (who doesn't?) but I'm also compelled to just do one more thing. I've been working like a demon the past couple of weeks and after finally submitting something I've been working hard on (hee hee .. sorry), I decided to take today off. Plus I've got RSI or something and my right wrist is killing me, so it was for the best.

Of course I ended up working for a couple of hours last night and a bit longer than I intended this morning, but by 9.30 I was free and off to Manchester. I realised I find it really, really hard to leave my email. I switched the computer off and still had to force myself out the door without checking it 'one last time'.

I bought Now! and Grazia for the train (I usually get Heat, but it was a Big Brother spesh) and started reading Sara's Face, the new Melvyn Burgess book. Once I arrived in Manchester, I went straight to Starbucks for a decaf latte and pain au raisin. I walked up to Mosley Street to buy the new issue of O At Home from the only shop in the North West that stocks it, but - curse them - they didn't have it! Went to Debenhams and got one of these reduced to £8.50. It's glorious: smells gorgeous, sparkly, cute packaging and a bargain! Mooched down Market Street via Fopp, where I did my usual picking things up - Rich Hall's Things Snowball (£3), a classic crooners box set (£5), series 4 of Curb Your Enthusiasm (£20) - and then putting them all back again and not buying anything. Honestly, I get buyer's remorse before I've even bought anything.

As part of the whole trying to balance work even though the computer's right next to the loo (don't worry, not in the same room) and it'll only take me a minute to check my .. no, just let me .. hang on, I've just got to .. etc., I've instigated a ten pm cut-off so I'll have to continue this fascinating trawl through my day tomorrow. Bet you can't wait.

Comments

[Ms Mac]

Is it tomorrow yet?

I like Grazia magazine, its trashy enough to be entertaining and easy to read while you're supposed to be doing other stuff but lovely and glossy to the touch, enough to remind me of before I had children and used to buy every single glossy I could get my hands on on the way to work in Sydney. If I lived in in the UK (and had enough cash), I'd be a glossy magazine junkie.

But, I'm with you on the buyers remorse before I even get to checkout. Why do we still pick things up when we know we're only going to put them back down again before it comes time to whip out the old debit card? Somebody really should study that and gete back to me.

[Angie]

Keris Bueller! That killed me! :D