Storytime with Rachel F Hundred

Family time ahead, but also writing.

It’s fair to say that a lot in the past three weeks hasn’t gone to plan.

I did have a plan.

The problem is that when one or two things go out of balance, the whole thing tilts towards chaos.

My FTC (fixed term contract) work was progressing on plan until changing priorities have meant that I’ve been pulled to support a priority piece of work with my own project approved to be delayed. It’s not unusual in change for that to happen. It’s not unusual to have spent a week getting a paper ready only for it to be changed up at the last minute.

It’s also not unusual for last minute workshops to be pulled together. Workshops need time for preparation. As a facilitator there is a lot of work that goes into the thinking, structure and inputs before you even get to the workshop. And then there is the day itself which can be exhausting. Back-to-back or multi-day workshops also mean that there is a terrifying amount of work to be done in the evenings.

It’s exhausting, time-consuming, and it does not leave a lot of room for any other activity except sleeping and trying to cram in something to eat.

It has unbalanced the last few weeks entirely with last Sunday’s Writer’s Log part of the casualty list.

Another casualty was any article writing. While I had downgraded the priority on this in favour of focusing on the training and coaching parts of my own business right now, I am disappointed that I haven’t been able to write and get published one article in the past few weeks. My last article was posted a month ago. I have written an article since but do I have the energy to post it when the regular slot rolls around that week? No, I do not. I should just bite the bullet and post it whenever I do have the energy.

I have maintained my social media presence and continue to build my small social media following for my business. I’ve managed to accumulate over 1000 followers on Linkedin and 700 on Bluesky (in comparison, I have just under 200 followers under my Rachel F Hundred id – if you are on Bluesky, please give me a friendly follow).

What did go well was the first delivery of training with a small charity and the feedback I received for that. It made me realise that this is what I really prefer doing to the type of work I’m doing day-to-day on the FTC. Maybe I blinked too soon on grabbing onto some paid contract work, but financially I do need to pay the bills and I would have to sell 25 training courses to match the 6-month FTC.

So, exhausted from my paying the bills work, I’ve had little time nor energy for much else.

I’ve made no progress on the book front which I am very disappointed about especially given the reflection in my past blog that writing is all I really want to do deep down.

On the other hand, I have managed to publish the final part in the Promise Interlude series and my Big Moxie fanfic (a NCIS/Harry Potter crossover, Saving Harry).  I’ve also had another monthly subscriber here at Storytime to celebrate which is just brilliant and another help towards maintaining this website.

Getting myself back into a rhythm of writing is important to me this month as I finish up Another Dimension, the third story in my A Step to the Right series. (Sneak peek at the WIP is available as I posted the first chapter for Evil Author’s day back in February.)

Work hasn’t been the only thing pushing everything out of balance though. My Dad is back living with me for the summer as usual. That means more family events and activities, more time spent with loved ones.

Which is lovely.

That is what life should be about – spending time with loved ones, making memories.

Yet, it does mean that there is less time for sitting in solitude and writing away.

On top of that, my health is…variable. Having gotten the all-clear from a screening worry, my fatigue has been bad, my energy levels low. I’ve lost a couple of days where I’d planned to write to migraines. Is it a reaction or is it just a response to the increased work I’m doing? Running a business on top of a full time job is not exactly easy.

There is a hard truth here that as much as I try to balance everything, I cannot balance everything when outside forces are blowing the balls that I’m juggling out of rhythm. Everything is just a little off kilter.

Luckily, this week is a bit of a break. Kind of. I’m off on holiday with the family for a week. It should mean that I find the opportunity to reset some of the things that I’ve struggled to find time or if I have the time, the energy for in the next few days.

It will allow me to take a breath.

I’m already committed to taking a break from my work social media apart from Bluesky, my out-of-office is on for the FTC, and I only have a couple of calls to do for my own business.

Outside of the time with the family, it is time to prioritise the writing above all else for the next seven days and try to find a way to rebalance when I return from a much-needed break by the seaside. Happy holidays.

End Note: Please like, comment or share if you enjoyed this writer’s log! If you would like to buy me a coffee in support of my original writing, check out my Ko-fi or my subscription/donation page.