Are You Scared to Check Your Email?

Sometimes I'm really adverse to the idea of checking my email. In fact, I'm downright scared to! Today, I'd really just rather run screaming away from my inbox, though with another writer to coordinate and waiting on some work, I really can't.

Three years ago, it was for a very simple reason: it would be empty. No work, not bids accepted, no nothing but a newsletter advertising more jobs that I probably wouldn't get. I would check that email account obsessively, every hour on the hour, and a job that took me was a reason for the happy dance. Of course, there would be far too many emails of 'Your bid was not accepted' and that was always depressing. I hate getting overlooked in favor of someone who bid half what I did and promise to do the job in one day. (I always wonder how anyone pulls that off, but that's a story for another day.)

Now I have the opposite problem. Sometimes I just don't want to check that inbox because I don't want to find out that I have yet more work to do. Yeah, I know, goofy isn't it? When you work on commission, the more commissions you have, the more money you make-simple! But the reality is, sometimes you're just too tired, too overwhelmed, too sick and too burned out and the last thing you want to do is see that little black 1 by your Inbox. There's the moment of prayer and then...

Windows Live Update message.

PHEW!

Until the next piece of mail comes in....

So, if you're anxiously awaiting that piece of mail that says you got the job, enjoy it! Because in a year or two, you may be dreaming of the day when your inbox is down for 24 hours so you have an iron-clad excuse not to check it. Sadly, this has yet to happen to me when I'm stressed out. And if you're in the same boat as me, don't feel bad. Everyone gets burned out and would rather just not see their inbox for a day.

Of course, when that stretches for a few days, panic sets in... Maybe we're just hard too please.

Until next time!