Hey everyone,
I’ll try to update this on my website, too, but a few things need to get said regarding the business site because with a big rush in business comes an increase in problem behaviors – and from people who genuinely couldn’t know how or why this is problematic. Easier just to explain. ☺️
Please keep the following in mind:
I work for a lot of people. From most client’s perspective, I’m sure many of my clients understand that they are not my only client. However, you as a client, could not understand how many people want my attention right now this very second, or that my seeming ability to be present quickly on a Monday night doesn’t mean I am available with such speed at your leisure at all times of day.
When it’s a bit slow at my job, it would seem like I effortlessly reply at many hours of the day (I sometimes wonder if people think the posted business hours are a humorous suggestion,) or can make space for your reading very quickly. This isn’t because I have nearly as much availability as you may think (I work easily 30 hours just replying during my slow weeks,) but I do have more flexibility when not inundated.
When, all of the sudden, 10 people want to play the checking up on me game, 7 want me to rush on a 3 page reply, 4 are having panic attacks and over thinking, 6 want me to console and encourage them for varying reasons, 4 want me to explain broad concepts relating to magic (often a form of checking up on me, haha, but ok,) and 3 are having their work starting to rapidly manifest while another 5 people want to schedule readings…and I’ve not even begun to discuss my 12 applications for new spellwork business…
This is when I need to gently remind everyone that there is only one of me. I cannot be present in 5 places at once. I have a life outside of work (barely, but I do need to do things like mow the lawn and occasionally go to the store, or even cook dinner,) and I have many obligations to handle.
So first the “freebie people” suffer. While I’m quite happy to help find spells and items during a slow time, or to explain a concept that someone casting their own spells is having a difficulty with at no cost, now I can’t make that time very quickly as the people paying me for my time must get priority (because they paid me.) This means the first people I piss off (and not at all intentionally,) are folks who just wanted a few pointers or to be given a half hour of my direction. Now I will reply, but I need free time to reply in, and that is at a premium so it may be a minute.
The next people who begin to notice my absence are people on various platforms who enjoy my content. I’ve not been quiet about my distaste for WordPress and this blog has suffered for it, but we are looking into a move on to substack. I detest instagram (sorry, lol ) and I’m on some varied sites giving instruction without advertising the business. These folks will find I’m suddenly not around. This again goes back to the same reason as above with my freebie people – I can’t offer my time if it’s been taken by someone willing to pay for it. I get no compensation and must attend to business I’m paid for.
Now comes people inadvertently breaking my business rules, often because they have before and I said nothing. This one is my fault in some ways. For many years, I was very strict about my own rules. Unfortunately as people have become less literate (sadly more and more common due to the internet…and I don’t mean you can’t read but that you often ignore the written word), it’s like its own separate hours long job to educate each new person on the rules and the offenses are often trivial and just annoying (which is why the rules in those cases were created to begin with, – so things run smoothly,) that correcting a person who is often already emotionally-traumatized and fragile is more harmful and time-consuming than just letting them get away with breaking a rule.
So suddenly 12 people are texting me about non-emergencies, and 8 people are sending me a “how did it go?” (I assure you this is hilariously one of the most detested lines said to any pro-spellcaster as it implies we must instantly have zero to do but write up a non-emergency-situation review seconds after we finish your work which isn’t how writing any essay-question length report actually works – we aren’t trying to gate keep but that report can take a day or two if you need one,) when I haven’t even finished casting this morning’s spellwork, 3 people are sad and want encouragement right now, and I’ve not even finished the paying part of my job (not close) but have been saddled with situations that should I delay in reply, I risk people breaking the posting and sharing clause (serious offense) because I didn’t prioritize something that is clearly stated as not actually part of the job I’m paid for (I go over that at length.)
That I’m glad to handle much of this is all well and good. But these folks get testy because the reality is…
I must always attend to the paid and paying parts of my job first and that means if you’re pushing for unpaid services unintentionally or intentionally, if you’re making demands of me which are clearly stated as not part of my contract of employment, if you’re breaking rules to get my attention now because you’re bored or anxious or lonely (but there’s no emergency,) that while that may work during the slower seasons, now you feel ignored.
I am not ignoring you. And what’s even worse, some people will even waste my time (and yours) by getting a full consultation and then ghosting. So at least 5 hours of my time will be lost weekly to time-wasting ghosts. 👻 And I could be using that to deal with my anxious people, or my people who want updates this very second.
It’s just as a business – and one which has had the same prices for like ten years now (while nothing else in the economy has stayed the same price and my costs of living have tripled just like yours have,) I need to deal with paying (new business applications) and paid (casting spells, conducting readings,) and then necessary (help during manifestation phase, instructions on how to behave during this time, emergencies.) Paying clients with extra requests and non emergencies, and those seeking reassurances and updates come after that. If it’s not paid or paying that’s last.
When you have 71 active cases, that’s a lot of people.
I do not write this from a place of anger. I want us all to understand each other. It’s hard for anyone who deals with folks who are anxious and need attention on a complex situation. I tend to get along well with lawyers and therapists because we relate to each other – we are many people’s one connection to the help that they need, but there is only one of us and many of them.
So please, with my sincere apologies for if it’s upsetting to you, understand that what may feel like a delay to you is me working as fast as possible for many people. It’s easiest when it’s streamlined but we have a lot of new clients on the roster and they can’t be expected to know how things work, which slows the process down. That’s ok. The summer rush can be annoying on the client end and very exhausting on my end (I often work close to 80 hours) but it evens out in a few weeks.
All I ask is you remember that there is one of me, many of you, and everyone wants something right now. I promise I’m getting back to you as fast as possible.
~Cat
Cat’s Rants: Confessions of an Occult Mastermind 