It's week four of my new job with Wiregrass Parents magazine, and although the first three weeks were nothing like what I expected due to some unforeseen circumstances, I'm loving this new adventure so far.

Obviously the freedom to work from wherever I want (or need) is a major plus. Not being tied to a desk in a specific building makes it easy for me to not feel suffocated by a particular place. It also was a lifesaver for the two-and-a-half weeks we spent living away from home while our air conditioner was out of commission.

This new flexibility is all I hoped it would be. Instead of working a set number of hours a day, I have a to-do list. Instead of daily deadlines, I have monthly ones. The difference is amazing.


Now instead of setting an alarm to jar myself awake each morning, I naturally wake up around 7:00, and still have time to eat breakfast, shower and get ready, and take Alexis to school by 9:00. Then I come back home to my upstairs office where I settle in for a day of building guides and calendars, and contacting potential advertisers. I can listen to music without headphones, take a decent lunch break, run to the store if I need to, throw a load of clothes in the wash...you get the picture.

Instead of fighting 5:00 p.m. rush hour traffic, I'm at home cooking dinner or playing with my daughter. Our bedtime routine no longer feels rushed because we're not having to cram dinner, clean up, bath time, and bed time into an hour and a half.

I don't feel like I'm having to choose between spending time with my family and keeping house anymore...or staying up to ridiculous hours to do housework. I'm actually caught up on laundry, believe it or not.

The difference mentally is the best part. My skin is clearer; my neck and shoulder muscles are less tense; I'm sleeping and eating better. I feel more balanced. I'm happier.