Love Mondays! A pyjamas at midday update

A few months ago when I started this vocation seeking adventure I blogged about the perils of homeworking, most notably the great temptation to stay in pyjamas way past any socially acceptable hour. I then got loads of hilarious tweets back from other homeworkers confessing that they too suffered from this and had even been masterminding ways to leave the house for quick errands without having to change. Slovenly homeworker ways! Well eight months later I am glad to report that it is quarter to twelve and I am sitting in my living room in my jammies! I feel this is a testament to a good decision going well. This little adventure has had many a twist and turn but the pyjamas remain!

When thinking about life choices I don't know how the rest of the world does it, they all seem so wonderfully organised and sensible, one reasonable decision following neatly and sensibly from the other. I've never really been one for that and have so far lived mostly by trial and error. My hope is that one day this will add up to a life where I don't wake up thinking 'Not Monday AGAIN!' and I can use my skills, gifts, strengths and weaknesses in a role that fits me truly as I am.

I think I realised that my desire for this was greater than my desire to do the sensible thing on the umpteenth occasion of sitting in a bosses office and them saying to me, 'So Nicola, what is your five year plan?' You know you can't realistically say 'Well, Boss. I'd really like to NOT be working here.' Instead you have to create some elaborate, falsified life plan of striving to take their place in the organisation with much head nodding and jaw aching enthusiasm. I was never much good at that and usually mumbled something along the lines of 'Oh well, who can tell?' I'm not sure that always went down so well!

Taking on part time work so I could write more and work in church for six months while we were Vicar-less was one of those happy occasions where the trial was a success rather than an error! My hours these days definitely suit me more, the jammies at midday are testament to that. I'm creatively more active and no two days are ever the same. This suits my temperament perfectly, I like variety.

The flexibility has allowed me to do more of what I want. I've been able to go to conferences and have coffee with people I find inspirational. I'm going to be visiting people pastorally under the wing of the church. I have no grandparents now myself so a cup of tea with an elderly neighbour is as much a treat for me as for them. I've had time to reflect on why I enjoy what I enjoy and otherwise. I play piano mid afternoon and potter about my garden. I probably work more hours now than I have done before but I'm much more likely to be doing something of my own choosing that I actually enjoy.

Most of all I love that I haven't had one of those mumbly, I can't really tell you the truth, conversations with an employer since I started this whole thing. I hope that means I'm on the journey to finding my place where Mondays are not just tolerated but celebrated. Now that really is a tall order – watch this space!