The blunt text from my brother about my work schedule finally stuck

I used to brag about working 60 hour weeks installing floors. Thought it showed dedication. My brother sent me a text last month that just said, "You're not busy, you're avoiding your kids." That hit different because he was right. I checked my calendar and realized I had missed three of my daughter's soccer games in a row, all for jobs I could have scheduled a day later. I changed how I bid jobs, added a buffer day every week, and actually turned down a big commercial contract in Phoenix last week. It cost me about $1,800 in potential income, but I coached her practice on Tuesday instead. Has anyone else had a family member call them out and end up being the exact wake-up call you needed?

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the_ruby4d ago

Wait, are you sure it really cost you $1,800? That math sounds a little off if you only turned down one contract, unless that was your profit margin for the whole job after materials and gas. I mean, I get the point though, missing three games in a row is rough and your brother was right to call it out. But you might want to double check those numbers before you tell yourself that story, because it could be closer to $1,800 in gross pay, not what you actually kept in your pocket. Either way, taking that buffer day and coaching her practice is the win here, so don't let the money part fool you into thinking you lost more than you did. The real cost was those three games, and you fixed that going forward, so that's what matters.