I have a mental list and physcial materials of projects I intend to do (such as a service folder for each client so they can have copies of material we will cover) WHEN I'M CAUGHT UP IN A WEEK OR TWO. That's what I keep telling myself. But I don't think that week is coming any time soon this year.
I feel like I'm just keeping my head above water with documentations, trainings, meetings, sessions, research, reports, supervision, phone calls, emails, etc. Anyone else feel the same? Tips?
Until our next visit,
New BSW
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
This social worker works from home.
I don't know if I've shared with all of you but I'm a "remote" social worker. That means that if I'm not in a session with a client at their homes or in their communities, I'm working from my office ie. my home or wherever I may be such as in my car or in a coffee shop. And as with everything it has it's perks (rahhh for talking to high powered county attorneys on conference calls while in my pjs) but it also has its downfalls (such as not being taken seriously as when my mom wants to drop by when I'm working because I'm just home so I'm not really working, right?)
I would eventually love to write a post one day where I can offer to all of you some tips to making this "remote"/"telecommute" thing work but....I have to get there first. And as of right now, I'm totally not there. I'm struggling every day to try to find some balance.
I'm actually bless really. My husband has gotten laid off last year and has been able to be home and care for the two kids. So more often than not, usually there are physically all four of us home on a given day. I try to schedule my in-home sessions with my families back to back on certain days of the week so that I'm not commuting every day. And so on my days where I don't have sessions with clients, I'm working from my "office" aka this room in the basement which is quite nice really since we had it done brand new with modern decor and a simple design that should "motivate" me to work.
However with a full house of husband, who seriously needs me to tell him step by step of how to do things and where things are for the hundredth time, and two little ones who are so close in age that they think they each are the only child thus act and fight like ones, it's been hard (to say the least) about getting work done at home. I'm finding myself driving to my agency to find an empty space to work more than working at home.
As with most of my families that I'm working with, I know what's preventing my progress and I know what I have to do. The thing that is missing is actually DOING it.
1.) I know I need to set a schedule and STICK to it. Just because I can work at 7am or 11am and go until 11pm or 1am, does not mean I should do it. I need to remember I'm getting paid for 40 hours and no more. I usually will find myself working 29 hours one week then 62 the next. It's crazy and unpredictable.
2.) I have to remember that I am working for my family so I need to let go of the mom guilt! It's not like the kids are being held captive with an anal stranger; they are upstairs with their father whose sole job is to take care of them and play with them. Yes, they do miss me and want to spend time with me, but they get that when I'm "off" work.
And that's all I got. For now. Will try to keep you posted on my work on my work.
I would eventually love to write a post one day where I can offer to all of you some tips to making this "remote"/"telecommute" thing work but....I have to get there first. And as of right now, I'm totally not there. I'm struggling every day to try to find some balance.
I'm actually bless really. My husband has gotten laid off last year and has been able to be home and care for the two kids. So more often than not, usually there are physically all four of us home on a given day. I try to schedule my in-home sessions with my families back to back on certain days of the week so that I'm not commuting every day. And so on my days where I don't have sessions with clients, I'm working from my "office" aka this room in the basement which is quite nice really since we had it done brand new with modern decor and a simple design that should "motivate" me to work.
However with a full house of husband, who seriously needs me to tell him step by step of how to do things and where things are for the hundredth time, and two little ones who are so close in age that they think they each are the only child thus act and fight like ones, it's been hard (to say the least) about getting work done at home. I'm finding myself driving to my agency to find an empty space to work more than working at home.
As with most of my families that I'm working with, I know what's preventing my progress and I know what I have to do. The thing that is missing is actually DOING it.
1.) I know I need to set a schedule and STICK to it. Just because I can work at 7am or 11am and go until 11pm or 1am, does not mean I should do it. I need to remember I'm getting paid for 40 hours and no more. I usually will find myself working 29 hours one week then 62 the next. It's crazy and unpredictable.
2.) I have to remember that I am working for my family so I need to let go of the mom guilt! It's not like the kids are being held captive with an anal stranger; they are upstairs with their father whose sole job is to take care of them and play with them. Yes, they do miss me and want to spend time with me, but they get that when I'm "off" work.
And that's all I got. For now. Will try to keep you posted on my work on my work.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Note to self:
Quick note to self:
Talk about teaching cliens to have healthy boundaries, this social worker needs to practice what she preaches. It's a end-of-summer Friday evening and I still have 2 more HVs to get through before my "work day" is done. I am so fried. Not good for my brain. Ugh.
Until our next visit,
New BSW
Talk about teaching cliens to have healthy boundaries, this social worker needs to practice what she preaches. It's a end-of-summer Friday evening and I still have 2 more HVs to get through before my "work day" is done. I am so fried. Not good for my brain. Ugh.
Until our next visit,
New BSW
Friday, September 2, 2011
Who? Me?
It's been just a little over a year since this BSW graduated so the name "new" BSW is still very much applicable. And I'm not sure I'll ever stop feeling like a newbie since my clients throw such different issues at me daily.
But check this out: I was recently asked to go back to my good ole school to speak about my job. That's where I did the whole looking behind me to see if I wasn't mistaken for someone else.
I guess I kinda feel like I don't have the years of practice in me yet to be speaking in front of aspiring social work students. But then I realized that I do have something maybe just as valuable to offer: what it has been like to be in the field so far.
So here's what I'll be covering:
-when I had my first "cry" in my car
-what it's like to have business cards (and know how to pass them out like Valentines)
-how important it is to keep up with cartoon characters so you can atleast talk to the kids when their parents are ignoring you
lol. But yes, in all seriousness, I am somewhat flattered to be asked. I hope to provide the students with my reality so far because you will not find this s*** in the text books.
But check this out: I was recently asked to go back to my good ole school to speak about my job. That's where I did the whole looking behind me to see if I wasn't mistaken for someone else.
I guess I kinda feel like I don't have the years of practice in me yet to be speaking in front of aspiring social work students. But then I realized that I do have something maybe just as valuable to offer: what it has been like to be in the field so far.
So here's what I'll be covering:
-when I had my first "cry" in my car
-what it's like to have business cards (and know how to pass them out like Valentines)
-how important it is to keep up with cartoon characters so you can atleast talk to the kids when their parents are ignoring you
lol. But yes, in all seriousness, I am somewhat flattered to be asked. I hope to provide the students with my reality so far because you will not find this s*** in the text books.
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