This blog post as I get back to work might be the first for reals typed into WordPress thing I’ve written in over a year. That’s craziness. I love the ease of the IFTTT integration that sends my Instagram photos straight to my website, but I miss writing more in-depth posts about what’s going on over here in my art studio.

Short version, Covid was a beast.

My freelance illustration business shut down completely in March 2020. I went on unemployment for the first time in my life, and I’ve been working since I was 15 and a half years old. It was a lot to take in. Anxiety and depression moved in as we helped our two elementary school-aged kids navigate remote school. It was. So. Much. To. Take. In. OMG. Can’t. Stop. Typing. Like. William. Shatner.

We’ve been luckier than some; we’ve stayed healthy, Josh’s job stayed in place and unemployment supported gig workers like me that had to shut down to help with remote school. A lot of it felt really dark and hopeless and unending at times.

It’s over a year later, and dust is settling. It’s spring; it’s warm and sunny out. The kids are back in the building for school (for another month and a half until summer vacation LOL).

I’m back to work, and there are things that feel different.

Our kids aren’t littles anymore.

There was a weekend recently where I was doing some big long list of chores, and it was a lot of stuff that had been left for way too long. The kids have already started making their own breakfasts on Saturday morning, but that day they were mostly left to their own devices all day. They made their own lunch, I checked in on them a bunch while I was chorse-ing but they didn’t need me constantly watching or taking care of them. They’re just not little kids anymore. (Sadface.)

Your focus improves so much when you’re not split between work and caring for an infant.

I’m a huge supporter of work-at-home moms – I was one for ages. But omg you guys, you will never feel as straight-up crazy as when you’re trying to think about what you’re doing and also care for an infant or toddler at the same time. Now I’m back to work, the kids are a little older and self-contained, and I’m noticing a focus at work that I haven’t experienced in YEARS.

I’m making actual small business plans this time around.

This sounds like such a weird no brainer, but when you’re flying by the seat of your pants running a small business and every facet of it and caring for a home and kids at the same time… There’s just about zero time to actually stop and think and make plans for your business to grow. You just keep going on flying by the seat of your pants. I have actual planning going on in my business now – plans to make my life easier and shift a lot of my online art shop items to TeePublic and Redbubble, plans to grow my business, plans for budgeting and saving for things like a new desktop pc… That I have the headspace to actually think has been HUGE.

I gave myself a new job title at home.

Getting back to work, I started to feel a change in myself with the increased focus. I didn’t want to stop start stop start stop start between work and chores anymore, sandwiching them into my art studio time while also taking care of kids. It was making me crazy. I decided I needed a new job title, one that I’m leaning into and it’s been taking so much pressure off. I used to see myself as a Work At Home Mom, but that phrase has this connotation of momming and working at the same time. I don’t want to do that to myself anymore – it’s too much. Do one thing. If you need to take care of the kids, then stop and take care of the kids. But call it what it is; I’m a working mom. I don’t have to do chores and work at the same time because Joe Schmoe with an office job isn’t doing chores and working at the same time either.

It just feels so good to be back in my happy place. Drawing ridiculousness. Connecting with potential clients and discussing upcoming projects. Getting it DONE! How have you been doing lately with this Covid spring? Leave me a comment to let me know how you are!