The innsanity of innkeeping

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JBloggs

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You all know me, as honest as the day is long.
I just wanted to remind everyone that you all are human. Just in case you forgot and think that you should be able to handle superhuman feats like working every day for weeks or months on end without a day off.
I wanted to say that it is semi-annual meltdown time. I tell you this in all honesty as it happens. We begin to get bitter and begrudge either the guests or those we love the most. Little things irritate us. We cannot contain it, this having guests in our homes, in our presence 24/7. We were meant to have time off, innkeepers are the worst, the hardest on themselves.
It is a phenomena that those outside innkeeping do not understand.
I just wanted to say it is okay, you need to let off steam. You need to have some time alone, to reflect, to sleep, to rest.
From day one there have been those here who say repeatedly "Take care of YOURSELF first" and we neglect their words and wisdom. About this time each year I find myself on a short fuse and having to apologize to those I love. Then I remind myself to block days off - many times it is too late. You all know what I mean. If you can finally get away you are already wound up and irritated and you just cannot relax, you cannot do the very thing you set out to do, nothing.
I wanted to offer a group hug to those working so hard that it seems like they cannot see the break of day...and often don't. Please take care of YOU. Your life is more important, block off the dang calendar, don't just wait and hope for a break, make this an important step in you sanity and those around you. Take care of you.
 
((hugs))
I've taken better care of myself in the past 3 months than I have for the past 22 years... and am reaping wonderful benefits! YES!!! DO IT!!!
Even in peak season, I try to at least take one afternoon off a week to sit at the lake. Usually I'm too tired to fish, let alone swim with the ds6x2, but something about sitting and staring at water really refreshes me. (Anything but laundry!!)
110% in agreement... find time, make time, take care of YOURSELF!!!
=)
Kk.
 
In our slump here, so even tho we have guests, it's only one room and I have most of the day 'off'. Am taking the one day I got blocked off before everyone booked a single night but that means brekkie in the morning and guests checking in the next day. So, like we all know, a 'real' day off involves blocking 2 days on the calendar.
Last day with no one in the house was June 23.
 
I am proud of me. Have started refusing the third room when I had other things on my plate (such as MountainFest - 2 rooms was enough to take care of - or City meetings etc.) and block ALL rooms when family comes. I will find the money for the bills somehow.... Family is more important.
 
In our slump here, so even tho we have guests, it's only one room and I have most of the day 'off'. Am taking the one day I got blocked off before everyone booked a single night but that means brekkie in the morning and guests checking in the next day. So, like we all know, a 'real' day off involves blocking 2 days on the calendar.
Last day with no one in the house was June 23..
Just heard on the radio that I contributed a big chunk to the $2 million in extra tax revenues the state saw in July. Hey, I do my part! (OK, not me personally, but the lodging properties in the state.)
 
Last year was a bumper year here, so I was very good at blocking off days in the diary because I knew we'd be busy other times.
This year has been "challenging" as the trade papers say, it started off very uncertain although now I think it will be just as good as any other year.
As a recult of the uncertainty and because we're saving up for a 5 week visit to New Zealand next year I've been very bad at blocking days. We had two days off on 19th/20th August, but I have nothing booked now until October and we're pretty much booked up for September.
And you're right, you become less tolerant of guests and family.
Wise words indeed.
 
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