2. Write a blog post inspired by the word: back
I worked for a software company from home for nearly 7 years while I ran my home daycare.
I loved the company I worked with and all of my company friends.
Even though I worked remotely, I spoke with them daily via live chat services like Skype and weekly video meetings.
I was extremely grateful for the work. I’ll be honest, trying to hustle jobs for my blog and YouTube sort of sucks the joy out of those creative outlets. I enjoy the sponsored work when it pops up, but I don’t like searching for it or competing for it.
One day I got sick and had to take the day off from my online job.
The next day I was still sick, but logged on to help with work that I knew was still sitting in my computer.
As I worked, on this particularly memorable day, my phone rang. It was in the kitchen, I was on the couch and I couldn’t bring myself to go answer it when all of my energy was focused on clicking away at my computer.
And then my computer did a weird thing and logged me out of the platform I was working in. Weirdly, it had also logged me out of my work email account. I logged into my personal account to find an email from a coworker I had never met that said something along the lines of, “Sorry, we tried to call, but you have been terminated effective immediately. Call us back when you get a chance!”
What a memorable punch in the gut. Seven years of work, one missed phone call and no more job.
Of course I called back and thankfully a co-worker I worked closely with was on the call and was extremely thoughtful and apologetic about sending me packing. It was a company wide cutback and I didn’t make the cut. Why would I? An independent contractor working remotely and part time…I knew I was going to be first on the chopping block should it come to that, but it still felt pretty terrible.
Isn’t it funny how brains work though? In the midst of that kind of disappointment and fear of not knowing how I was going to make up that income, I actually felt relieved. Because I knew I wouldn’t have to login to that platform and deal with that specific work anymore. Because answering my unanswered emails was now someone else’s problem.
But mostly because I was still sick and it meant I could go back to sleep.
Now it’s your turn!
Choose a prompt, post it on your blog, and come back to add your name to the link list below. Be sure to sign up with the actual post URL and not just your basic blog URL (click on the title of your post for that URL). For good comment karma try to comment on the three blogs above your name!!
The Prompts:
1. Tell us about your high school mascot.
2. Write a blog post inspired by the word: back
3. Write about something you learned from a friend.
4. If you could live the rest of your life at the age of your choice, what age would you choose and why?
5. Tell us about a memorable dream.
6. Share something you are looking forward to.
Patty says
Jobs sometimes leave much to be desired, especially when WE think that we’re handling any work load efficiently but, as you experienced, the hierarchy involved feels differently.
The wave of downsizing has so many capable workers being cast aside, especially many who work remotely. I’ve witnessed friends in many workplaces, who had excellent credentials, used to train less-salaried newbies…then lose their long-standing employment.
Hey, at least you got some sleep!