checking in

I am exhausted. At the beginning of the month, I made 300 cookies outside of what was needed for the shop to serve at the town’s tree lighting event. It was a first for me to experience, this big hurrah in the village center with hot chocolate, cookies, the fire department band and a giant tree waiting to be lit up. Very Hallmarkish and Lifetimey if you ask me, but for the business, I mark it as a small success.

 

Since then, there has been numerous late-night jaunts at the shop. I began to hate it before, that I was spending so much time that I was going to burn myself out by spending every moment inside the tiny space. I have actually taken solace and enjoy the quiet time after closing. Once the day’s books are done, I tend to wind down with Netflix. I plan for the next day, perhaps start some of next day’s baking or work on ways to improve my reach to customers and scheme up sale ideas.

Despite the odd joy, the late hours and lack of sleep are catching up. One thing I am learning to do besides work on time management, is to give myself breaks. Not just physical, go-sit-yourself-down breaks, but mental breaks. This business is go go go and there are days when you forget to carve out a slice of time for yourself. I am slowly implementing that. Sure, I have Netflix loaded, but I’m still scribbling notes, ideas and responding to messages. I am beginning to tell myself to stop and let go for a half hour to an hour. The brain needs rest and a functioning owner needs to shut off for a while.

It’s almost midnight, and I’m deciding its time to check out for the day.

<;3