anyone else finding the rollercoaster feast/famine aspect of this s-e lark difficult?

[hatwoman]

I went s-e in June. I had actually started work on my first piece of consultancy before finishing my office job - so was straight into it. it was a very busy project involving a small team - so hard work, daily contact (if only on the phone) with others, periodic team meetings / meetings with the client up in town, working all hours god sent (not easy in the summer holidays...). Anyway now it's all done and although I spent all that busy time thinking blimey I need some time off (between work and kids I had barely an hour off all summer) I am now totally struggling. I've ticked off my mounting pile of house-holdy type jobs (which seemed both important and insurmountable a month ago but have now all been sorted/relegated to actually not hat important/interesting)I've arranged a meeting next week with familiar faces re some more work (which will be ok but not remotely new or exciting) and I feel terrible! flat, lonely, redundant, not at all sure I made the right decision...very half-hearted about getting active and seeking out something more interesting...tell me this is normal and/or give me some coping strategies. please!

Dp has recently gone SE (own business - scary)

It really IS feast or famine. He's either got work coming out of his ears, is overloaded, working all the hours etc etc...

Or is fretting about when the next 'big' one is coming in, when the next payment for a meaty job is due etc

We have had lean times this year. It's been tough, but dp is much happier, and we aren't on the breadline or anything. Just adjusting to a new lifestyle

Hope things pick up for you

.

er, sorry that wasn't of much interest to you...

no sorry it was - didn't mean to be rude! I'm just interested to know whether others find it hard to switch between two modes. I find it diffcult to motivate myself but also difficult to switch off

Hatwoman, I probably didn't read your OP that thoroughly! Are you talking about the emotional changes involved in going SE, as opposed to financial/lifestlye changes?

Motivation for DP runs high when things are on a roll

When things quieten a bit the doldrums set in. He frets about finances/future growth of the business, and struggles to see where things are heading

I think it IS a difficult balance to get right

I have been S-E for 2+ years now, and I know what you mean. I think the secret is to have a network of potential sources of work 'ticking over' and then a few weeks before you know you will finish a project you begin to 'ramp it up' again - just a few e-mails to people - a quick forwarding of an article they might be interested in/ just quick 'catch up' phone calls.

I know it's difficult if you're not used to it, but you do need to get a bit comfortable 'putting yourself about a bit' IYSWIM .

I remember one friend advising me when I first started, by saying "you can't sit at home waiting for the phone to ring - you have to do stuff to remind people you're around and keep yourself top of mind".

I just landed a big project yesterday from someone I met 18 months ago at an industry conference!

Yeah, I found it really difficult. I've gone back to paid employment for a while as something that suited me came up whilst in a famine. I have a friend who is really fab at what she does, and even she has lulls so I take heart from that.

I found it really difficult to relax when not working, e.g. checking emails every half hour. I used to go to the gym etc. quite a lot as that got me away from worrying about it and didn't cost any extra to do - as if you haven't got work you don't want to spend money!

Finding something that is regular-ish is useful - i.e. that doesn't take up loads of time but pays a bit of income.

I agree though that networking is a good thing to do in the down times in particular, but also to keep on doing it when you do have jobs.

well I've just been asked to do a nice job - which is tinsy but doubles up as networking - been asked to give a talk at a meeting of 50-odd former colleagues. also been asked if I'll do my former job as a consultant! iirc I left so as not to do my former job...

It's not the money side that DP complains about with my feast/famine SE life as generally have it under control after over 10 years. It's the mood swing he hates. I love what I do and so am either really busy & happy & he doesnt see me as much or I have no projects on the go & am depressed & around all the time. He feels he cant win.