I’ve been thinking a lot about work. I mean I always think a lot about work, but recently, between writing a book on entrepreneurship and being on the cusp of starting maternity leave for my first child, I have been particularly reflective.
So I thought I’d write a few posts to capture some of my musings that could be stretched out of the early part of my leave.
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We often talk about the benefits of entrepreneurship – with our clients, the IGC membership, in our book, with our book interviewees, and of course with each other.
I believe that entrepreneurship is one of if not the best way to get what you want professionally – as long as you’re clear about what that is. But like everything in life, entrepreneurship doesn’t mean you can have it all. Just because you’re the boss who calls the shots doesn’t mean that trade-offs don’t occur and that costs aren’t incurred. In other words, benefits also come saddled with limitations.
Most people I work with know that I live in Philadelphia but that my office and business and professional life is in New York. For me the benefits of this arrangement are living in a city that I love, that is much more affordable, and that fits with my family’s life needs. The costs are obviously the length and the expense of the commute.
Since I work for myself and design my schedule I rarely have had to travel to NYC more than 3 days per week, and often times only once a week. The exceptions being: when we just opened the space, during my partner’s maternity leave, in the midst of our book interviews, and when we just expanded to an additional floor in our building. During these periods it was often weeks in a row of going back and forth up to 4 days a week. Of course, it was exhausting and yes Amtrak gets old!
On account of my unusual residence, I often have to decline early breakfast and late evening meetings in the name of decent sleep and, occasionally, I’ve had to miss out on cool professional and personal events because I was in the wrong city. Alas, these were just the trade-offs that came with the scenario. They weren’t anything that would make me question, let alone change, my situation or set up.
However, this last month has been tough! The docs nixed travel to NYC starting at 36 weeks of pregnancy and so for the last 4 weeks I’ve been working from home in Philadelphia. Not only am I quite reacquainted with all the reasons that we started In Good Company Workplaces in the first place (“the stir-crazy, home all week, I’ve just worked for 8 straight hours but what did I do?” feeling) but I am also experiencing the challenges of managing a business remotely. Our staff is amazing, so that is not really the problem. It is more that I’m finding it exceptionally difficult just not being present, especially since our business has such a large physical component.
I’m forever asking myself and the staff questions: A new art installation went up…what does it look like?
Rooms have been reorganized and rearranged…what do they look like? Who is at the space? What kinds of events am I missing? What good ideas or feedback could I hear if I was there?
I think this feels especially poignant since my departure coincided with the official opening of another floor. I feel like I have barely gotten familiar with it and there is so much more I’d like to do…you know, in terms of knick knacks and such!
I think I had also gotten a little too comfortable with my understanding of the pros and cons of my choices. After 4 years of living in Philadelphia and commuting up to New York, I really felt as though I had the whole thing down. I knew the drill and what to expect.
Anyway I’ve been grappling with these newfound frustrations and newly experienced limitations for the last 4 weeks. And reflecting a lot about how with every pro (choose where you want to live) comes a con (get quarantined when too pregnant to travel!), even in entrepreneurship, even when you call the shots.
A couple of timely conversations recently have reminded me how true this is for everyone but how often the promise and opportunity of entrepreneurship lures us into thinking that the benefits we choose don’t have string. In fact, all benefits come with specific and real trade-offs. Sometimes those trade-offs are more complicated that we had imagined.
I know that soon I’ll be more preoccupied but I also know that I’ll also be eager to regain my eastern seaboard mobility (whenever that will be). In the meantime, I am everyday grateful for our IGC community (which I feel quite in touch with), every piece of connecting technology I can get my hands on, our communicative staff, and my patient partner.
Image courtesy of jkldesign I just love her prints!
Posted by Adelaide Lancaster.
