Nobody can ruin my day (at least not before I’ve been to the gym)

The other day, I made a nearly fatal mistake. I have my routines. I live by my routines. It’s been developed and perfected and works perfectly for me. Until now. Normally I get up, have my coffee, feed the dogs, check e-mail (and maybe read a blog or check Facebook….) which takes a total of 1 hour before I head to the gym. It’s been a perfectly fine morning routine. Until the other day. I got up, fed the dogs and opened e-mail…and there it was…the day changer!! It totally threw off my schedule for at least that day. And then I answered the phone…ugh

Big mistake. Without going into too much detail, I let the e-mail and phone call ruin my day. I never made it to the gym and the psychological fallout from those two events almost sent me into a downward spiral. Looking back, I really don’t know why it was such a big deal. But, there were tears. Lots of tears. Lots of despair. My day was shot. I figured my week was shot – and maybe my life. Yeah, it was that bad.

The next morning, I had an epiphany. DON’T CHECK E-MAIL..DON’T ANSWER THE PHONE…at least until after the gym. After I’ve been to the gym I feel stronger, more capable and I’m equipped to handle the day.

So if you e-mail me or call between 8pm and 10:am, you might get a delayed response. Just know I’m preparing myself to handle whatever you can throw at me!

Stay Strong!

~ April

Top 10 reasons I love being a pet sitter and dog walker

I’ve been doing this a while now, and quite often people will ask me why I do this instead of something I went to school to learn; something that perhaps would make me rich, or would be more “secure” with “benefits”.

So here are my top 10 reasons I’m a Pet Sitter instead of a Social Worker or an Accountant

1. I get to make my own schedule. If I only want to work mornings, I can do that. If I want to take weekend off, I can do that. I can use whatever planner or scheduler I want, and I don’t have to get anything approved by anyone.
2. I get to be my own boss. Nobody is telling me I have to do something I don’t want to do. Yes, I have many bosses (clients) but ultimately, I’ve chosen them. If I want to stop working for someone, I can. I can leave certain aspects of my job, without losing the entire gig.
3. I get to set my own rates (and give myself a raise, on occasion. No begging required).
4. I get to take time off when I want to, or if I need to. Again, no begging required.
5. I get to work from home. I don’t have a 60 minute commute. I have several 10 minute commutes spread through the day..some 5 minutes or less. None are in rush hour, believe me.
6. I get to be creative. I get to run this blog, a Facebook page, a Google+ page, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, all the way I want to run them.
7. I get to be outside a lot. I’m not ever stuck in a stuffy office, glued to a phone and a computer
8. I get to know the very BEST pet products! I see what my clients use, and love – and what the pets love. I’ll be sure to do reviews on these later!! I’ll just say right now, among the best products are Varsity Balls and Plato pet treats.
9. I get to know the very WORST pet products! I get to see what to avoid. I’ll just say it now – If I ever get a cat, I’m staying away from scented litter..yucko… you’re not hiding anything by adding detergent smell to cat poop. Please just get the natural stuff – looks and smells like sand or walnut hulls and scoop often. Your cat and your pet sitter will thank you.
10. The reason I really really love being a pet sitter are all the adorable pets!! I get to feed them and pet them and spend time playing with the cutest and most friendly pets you can imagine. What other job is that pleasant?

What are the top 10 reasons you stay at your current job?

Here’s my YouTube video on the same topic:

April’s Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Services