So Tired of Making Breakfast... I Need a Second Wind!

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The last REAL day off that I had was the end of April. This makes it at least 140 days since the last real day off and it will be another 45 or so before I get one. And yesterday for the first time in a long time... I didn't want to get up and make breakfast. I don't want to think of what I made yesterday or the day before. I don't want to think of what's in the fridge that has to be used. I don't want to turn on the store, the oven or even the microwave.
So, I realize that next year, I'm taking two days off after labour day. I don't care how it affects my income, I need two days off, or a weekend off. I need time to refresh a bit.
Anyone have an idea of how I can find a second wind before my vacation in just over 45 days?
 
Yeah, I was like that this morning. What I find works for me, but I am not the cook, is to look ahead and plan every breakfast for a week. (No, we don't do this anyway.) That way I just show DH the list. Otherwise it's an everyday thing I hate when he says, 'What should I make for breakfast tomorrow?'
 
Sorry.
heart.gif

I am in a state as well. Not from cooking, but as Seth's blog mentioned today "garbage in garbage out" mentality. I am in the "Take this job and shove it..." mode.
 
I'm at the point where I can't even remember what I cooked yesterday. Do you have any day where there are no check-ins or check-outs? Can you run away for half a day? That's what really helped me a couple weeks ago.
I feel for ya!
 
Joey Bloggs said:
Sorry.
heart.gif

I am in a state as well. Not from cooking, but as Seth's blog mentioned today "garbage in garbage out" mentality. I am in the "Take this job and shove it..." mode..
Click to expand...
Joey Bloggs said:
Sorry.
heart.gif

I am in a state as well. Not from cooking, but as Seth's blog mentioned today "garbage in garbage out" mentality. I am in the "Take this job and shove it..." mode.
Click to expand...
Me too. I have 6 weeks to go before a vacation.
 
I am SO with you today. Simply exhausted. Just sent off an email to the accountant to inquire of tax consequences of selling. Baby steps. Nine years..solo..can't do it much longer.

That being said, are there any days coming up before your vacation that you don't have check ins or anyone staying over? Even just one day? If so, get into your reservation program RIGHT NOW (hurry, before the evil goblins discover that you have a "day off" coming up) and change that one day to a two night minimum. Or just block it out! Your mental health is so much more important than the money sometimes. On that day, get out of the house for the whole day. Take care of the check outs that morning, then LEAVE! Go to the next town. Take a two hour drive if you have to, but leave your town, or all you will think about is what you have to do at home before the next arrivals.

Good grief, I'm exhausted just typing about it. That 45 days is a long way away if you have people every single day.
 
Madeleine said:
Yeah, I was like that this morning. What I find works for me, but I am not the cook, is to look ahead and plan every breakfast for a week. (No, we don't do this anyway.) That way I just show DH the list. Otherwise it's an everyday thing I hate when he says, 'What should I make for breakfast tomorrow?'.
Click to expand...
I just have 3 more weeks and I am out of here. AND on the road again. I am so fed up with cooking . I USED TO LOVE TO PLAN OUT ALL BREAKFAST. bUT LATELY I JUST WANT TO FORGET IT. I can't believe I really said that ! Shame on me
omg_smile.gif
opps sorry for caps.
But it has been a very expensive year. Very Hard year when it came to bookings. I guess I am feeling very old. More like feeling really to old to cut the mustard.
I am trying to get excited a bout going on our bucket list holidays. east coast to southern area then up west coast to home. Should be home some time in April. then start the season over again. OK I am off to bed, Good night all. See you in the morning
 
Flower said:
Madeleine said:
Yeah, I was like that this morning. What I find works for me, but I am not the cook, is to look ahead and plan every breakfast for a week. (No, we don't do this anyway.) That way I just show DH the list. Otherwise it's an everyday thing I hate when he says, 'What should I make for breakfast tomorrow?'.
Click to expand...
I just have 3 more weeks and I am out of here. AND on the road again. I am so fed up with cooking . I USED TO LOVE TO PLAN OUT ALL BREAKFAST. bUT LATELY I JUST WANT TO FORGET IT. I can't believe I really said that ! Shame on me
omg_smile.gif
opps sorry for caps.
But it has been a very expensive year. Very Hard year when it came to bookings. I guess I am feeling very old. More like feeling really to old to cut the mustard.
I am trying to get excited a bout going on our bucket list holidays. east coast to southern area then up west coast to home. Should be home some time in April. then start the season over again. OK I am off to bed, Good night all. See you in the morning
.
Click to expand...
We've had 5 days off since May and like you the enthusiasm is waning at this time of year.
My struggle is with talking to the guests, I know I should chat to them when I check them in and at breakfast but I've heard it all before a million times.
One month before we head off to Orlando for a 2 week break, yipee!!
 
Good morning
This what we promised ourselves to do next year. No matter what we are booking 2 days off every week. We are going to give ourselves one day off . That time will be spent looking after the yard or catching up on our things. The other day will be used to smell the roses. It will be like a Tuesday and maybe a Thursday. ???? we see after a good hard look at our season was like this year. See what days will be able to take off. What is the slower time to take that 2 days off.
This is nuts not to take days off. At least one day off during the week. It is important . Cause we are not getting any younger. We should be wiser, or so they say.
 
"Semi annual innkeeper breakdown"
There is NO WAY IN THE WORLD I could do what you do E. No way. I am like a caged animal with just a few weeks straight of guests without one day no guests in between, I am chewing at my foot right now trying to escape.
angel_smile.gif
 
I do not have the income that your occupancys bring - I get mine in spurts. The long-terms gave me breathing room this year - but having someone in the house every night is not easy (I do not usually do breakfast for long-terms). I have one this week that wanted breakfast and it is getting old. She hardly eats and he just drinks coffee. Makes doing breakfast difficult. Tomorrow I have a meeting to go to that I must leave the house by 6 AM. She will get the crock pot cereal tomorrow. (I do not do the usual FULL breakfast for her - no muffins or fruit dish.)
I am grateful to be able to go over to City Hall and put in a few hours of slave labor - it gets me away from the house and still being useful.
 
Joey Bloggs said:
"Semi annual innkeeper breakdown"
There is NO WAY IN THE WORLD I could do what you do E. No way. I am like a caged animal with just a few weeks straight of guests without one day no guests in between, I am chewing at my foot right now trying to escape.
angel_smile.gif
.
Click to expand...
I think we go over the 190 day mark this year. It's crazy. Everyone checked out today... so all new arrivals. At least I don't have to track what I did for breakfast last week!
I was so tired last night that I could have happily gone to bed at 8PM.
Privacy? What's that?
 
Flower said:
Madeleine said:
Yeah, I was like that this morning. What I find works for me, but I am not the cook, is to look ahead and plan every breakfast for a week. (No, we don't do this anyway.) That way I just show DH the list. Otherwise it's an everyday thing I hate when he says, 'What should I make for breakfast tomorrow?'.
Click to expand...
I just have 3 more weeks and I am out of here. AND on the road again. I am so fed up with cooking . I USED TO LOVE TO PLAN OUT ALL BREAKFAST. bUT LATELY I JUST WANT TO FORGET IT. I can't believe I really said that ! Shame on me
omg_smile.gif
opps sorry for caps.
But it has been a very expensive year. Very Hard year when it came to bookings. I guess I am feeling very old. More like feeling really to old to cut the mustard.
I am trying to get excited a bout going on our bucket list holidays. east coast to southern area then up west coast to home. Should be home some time in April. then start the season over again. OK I am off to bed, Good night all. See you in the morning
.
Click to expand...
Flower said:
east coast to southern area then up west coast to home. Should be home some time in April. then start the season over again. OK I am off to bed, Good night all. See you in the morning
Click to expand...
If your west coast brings you to OR, we'd love to see you!
 
7 days....7 days.....I can get through the next 7 days. Thank goodness it's a slow week (not full every night). Then we leave for a family wedding in FL for a week. We haven't had a day off since the beginning of May. My body is holding up, but my brain isn't!
 
Oh the life of an Innkeeper! This is when we all get tired and down. I do recommend trying to find some down time during the day even if you have guests. I would plan on next year doing these things and they are just things we have learned over the last 15 years.
1) Try finding a close friend in your town who you might be able to train to do serve breakfast or even cook it if they can. You might find a good friend would love the experience of being an innkeeper for the day.
2) if that is not possible, you could deliver a breakfast basket the night before and tell people you are not able to provide breakfast in the morning. Make sure it's a really nice verity. Have coffee available in the morning.
Then either sleep in or go out to breakfast and enjoy someone cooking for you!
You could even schedule these days in advance and advertise for this. Make it a special do guests think they are really getting something extra. Play it up and call it a lazy Sunday morning. Allow them to check out late.
3) We do not shut down very much. The only days we close are Thanksgiving day an Dec 23,24,25. This is family time and must be enjoyed. We do close down a few other times as needed.
These are just a few things we do.
Here is what I have found that does not work.
1) unless you do this as a hobby and do not really need the income, DO NOT shut down for 2 days a week. This will be an EPIC bomb to your business. We tried this and almost lost our shirts! Not everyone has the same time off and if you like extended stay guests you will shut the door on those reservations. You will find you will only have weekends and very little during the week.
2) closing for one day is nice but not food enough!
In order to get one full day off, you must close down for 2 days.
You must do this in order to get what you are trying to do out of you day off.
Here is the thing. You must take a few days every now and again and take breaks even when you have guests. If you don't you will hate your job and get burnout very quickly! So try a few things and find what works best for you!
Good luck!
 
Bob said:
Oh the life of an Innkeeper! This is when we all get tired and down. I do recommend trying to find some down time during the day even if you have guests. I would plan on next year doing these things and they are just things we have learned over the last 15 years.
1) Try finding a close friend in your town who you might be able to train to do serve breakfast or even cook it if they can. You might find a good friend would love the experience of being an innkeeper for the day.
2) if that is not possible, you could deliver a breakfast basket the night before and tell people you are not able to provide breakfast in the morning. Make sure it's a really nice verity. Have coffee available in the morning.
Then either sleep in or go out to breakfast and enjoy someone cooking for you!
You could even schedule these days in advance and advertise for this. Make it a special do guests think they are really getting something extra. Play it up and call it a lazy Sunday morning. Allow them to check out late.
3) We do not shut down very much. The only days we close are Thanksgiving day an Dec 23,24,25. This is family time and must be enjoyed. We do close down a few other times as needed.
These are just a few things we do.
Here is what I have found that does not work.
1) unless you do this as a hobby and do not really need the income, DO NOT shut down for 2 days a week. This will be an EPIC bomb to your business. We tried this and almost lost our shirts! Not everyone has the same time off and if you like extended stay guests you will shut the door on those reservations. You will find you will only have weekends and very little during the week.
2) closing for one day is nice but not food enough!
In order to get one full day off, you must close down for 2 days.
You must do this in order to get what you are trying to do out of you day off.
Here is the thing. You must take a few days every now and again and take breaks even when you have guests. If you don't you will hate your job and get burnout very quickly! So try a few things and find what works best for you!
Good luck!.
Click to expand...
Thanks. On Saturday we are making breakfast and having a friend do the cleaning and resets so we can attend a wedding luncheon. 3 hour drive each way, but it will be time off. So at least I have 6 hours in the car to not think about things and an afternoon off.
 
Flower said:
Good morning
This what we promised ourselves to do next year. No matter what we are booking 2 days off every week. We are going to give ourselves one day off . That time will be spent looking after the yard or catching up on our things. The other day will be used to smell the roses. It will be like a Tuesday and maybe a Thursday. ???? we see after a good hard look at our season was like this year. See what days will be able to take off. What is the slower time to take that 2 days off.
This is nuts not to take days off. At least one day off during the week. It is important . Cause we are not getting any younger. We should be wiser, or so they say..
Click to expand...
You are so right. This year has been madness, my fault I know. I've said before, we had a very slow start to the year, then it went crazy by which time the diary had bookings every day and it was too late.
It's not just the constant work, I'm fed up with no social life at all.
Next year it's going to be 2 days off every 10 days to a fortnight.
 
Highlands John said:
Flower said:
Good morning
This what we promised ourselves to do next year. No matter what we are booking 2 days off every week. We are going to give ourselves one day off . That time will be spent looking after the yard or catching up on our things. The other day will be used to smell the roses. It will be like a Tuesday and maybe a Thursday. ???? we see after a good hard look at our season was like this year. See what days will be able to take off. What is the slower time to take that 2 days off.
This is nuts not to take days off. At least one day off during the week. It is important . Cause we are not getting any younger. We should be wiser, or so they say..
Click to expand...
You are so right. This year has been madness, my fault I know. I've said before, we had a very slow start to the year, then it went crazy by which time the diary had bookings every day and it was too late.
It's not just the constant work, I'm fed up with no social life at all.
Next year it's going to be 2 days off every 10 days to a fortnight.
.
Click to expand...
Highlands John said:
You are so right. This year has been madness, my fault I know. I've said before, we had a very slow start to the year, then it went crazy by which time the diary had bookings every day and it was too late.
It's not just the constant work, I'm fed up with no social life at all.
Next year it's going to be 2 days off every 10 days to a fortnight.
Click to expand...
heart.gif
you deserve a break today...
my social life today was trying to get the check out clerk at the grocery store to understand what a star fruit was, she kept repeating back, and I kid you not "star FIsh?"
 
Joey Bloggs said:
Highlands John said:
Flower said:
Good morning
This what we promised ourselves to do next year. No matter what we are booking 2 days off every week. We are going to give ourselves one day off . That time will be spent looking after the yard or catching up on our things. The other day will be used to smell the roses. It will be like a Tuesday and maybe a Thursday. ???? we see after a good hard look at our season was like this year. See what days will be able to take off. What is the slower time to take that 2 days off.
This is nuts not to take days off. At least one day off during the week. It is important . Cause we are not getting any younger. We should be wiser, or so they say..
Click to expand...
You are so right. This year has been madness, my fault I know. I've said before, we had a very slow start to the year, then it went crazy by which time the diary had bookings every day and it was too late.
It's not just the constant work, I'm fed up with no social life at all.
Next year it's going to be 2 days off every 10 days to a fortnight.
.
Click to expand...
Highlands John said:
You are so right. This year has been madness, my fault I know. I've said before, we had a very slow start to the year, then it went crazy by which time the diary had bookings every day and it was too late.
It's not just the constant work, I'm fed up with no social life at all.
Next year it's going to be 2 days off every 10 days to a fortnight.
Click to expand...
heart.gif
you deserve a break today...
my social life today was trying to get the check out clerk at the grocery store to understand what a star fruit was, she kept repeating back, and I kid you not "star FIsh?"
.
Click to expand...
Joey Bloggs said:
my social life today was trying to get the check out clerk at the grocery store to understand what a star fruit was, she kept repeating back, and I kid you not "star FIsh?"
Click to expand...
Oh my, it must be a star fish, can you call the manager, we need to get it some salt water immediately or it will DIE!
 
Today, I needed some cash, didn't want to go out and I'm not paying $3 to use a damn ATM, so I pulled out some foreign currency and went to the bank to exchange it. And then I realized... I have more in foreign currency that my own local currency. How odd is that.
Oh and the reason that I didn't want to go to the bank? I didn't want to move the car because I have a nice parking spot. Yup.... I'm working alone and I did everything so that I wouldn't lose my parking spot!
 

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