From when I first started working — 15 at Hiram College in its catering department — weekends took on an entirely new meaning. It was a reprieve from the drab and unromantic dealings of high school (why I didn’t have the Max, Peach Pit or Water Street restaurant to hang out at). When I entered the professional arena the weekend became a time to unwind. I woke up this morning with the looming feeling of nothingness. Last weekend was my first weekend of not having a job to return to on Monday, this weekend marks my first at home unpaid work week. While I felt like I accomplished a considerable amount I definitely need to make several adjustments to make myself more efficient this coming week.
1. No falling off the money wagon.
This isn’t like, “Oops! I spent too much this week, I guess I’ll have to wait until I get paid again.” It’s more like, “Oops, I spent to much this week I guess I’m moving to Golden Gate park. Have a spare bench?”
2. Getting organized
My apartment is a mess right now. Not because I’m unemployed but because I tend to be hyper organized in all things not related to my living arrangements. This needs to change. As part of my daily work routine I’m going to have to add cleaning. I wonder if I can move that to-do for tomorrow?
3. Matrix of life
I love creating a matrix for all things. It stems back to a class I had in graduate school where we were told to create one. Using a hierarchical method for figuring out what was most important to us it could help us make a job decision. It clears the non-important factors that can cloud a decision and points us to what is most important to us. I used them all the time. I tell friends to use them. I heart them. Needless to say I haven’t made one for myself in some time and it would probably be good to dust it off and hang one up.
4. Deal with unemployment benefits
Still no word from the California unemployment benefits people. I plan on sleeping out in front of the office just to be first in line. Instead of getting tickets to Pearl Jam I’ll be getting unemployment checks. Yay!
It’s not too much for this upcoming week but I’m trying to figure out the whole matrix of life. You know — the greater meaning of what I want to do and whole self-reflection thing. I figured after a week of not staring at the ocean that writing on a piece of paper might help.
