Sometimes I get questions about how I do everything that I do with my online business and take care of our home and family.
Spoiler alert!
I don’t always do everything well, but I have very recently found a few things that are helping me out.
Here are six things that help me work from home.
1. A routine…not a strict schedule….an outline of the major things I need to do each day. (see photo)
I know myself well enough not to make a strict schedule. If I say…”I’m going to wake up at 7 am, workout at 8 am, read from 8:45- 9:30, shower at 10am, etc…” I will rebel after the first day OR someone will need me to help them with an errand or they forgot a school book or we run out of milk and I need it for my coffee! So what I know I need is a flexible routine.
I have a planner that I use for my business tasks each day and I write them down on paper so I can physically check them off. I don’t know why, but putting that check mark beside things when I finish them makes it easier for me to feel like I’ve accomplished something.
2. Thursday is house cleaning day.
I know I could hire someone to clean the house, but I actually find it therapeutic to clean. My brain gets to rest. Call me crazy, but I especially like to sweep and vacuum. It’s easy to see progress and it’s so satisfying once you are done. I enjoy making our home a cozy and comfortable place for my family, and I’ve found from experience that if I neglect it or hand it off to someone else, I don’t get to enjoy that satisfaction. I know….it sounds crazy, but it’s true!
3. We order groceries online and have them delivered or pick them up.
Since we live about about 15 minutes from the nearest large grocery store, ordering ahead helps me save hours each week. I can have groceries delivered (which is the most awesome thing ever!) or pick them up if I’m going to be in town. I also just order what I need and am not walking around in the garden center or craft supplies buying things I don’t need…so that saves us money, too!
4. I have a time that I shut off all electronics that are for business purposes.
When you love what you do, you could continue to work 24/7. It takes self discipline to shut the laptop down and put your phone on do not disturb, but it’s very necessary if you want to do this for the long haul. You can go full speed ahead for a while, but you’ll crash and burn eventually. My work hours vary according to what’s going on in my family life, but most of the time I work from 10 am until about 3 pm with breaks sprinkled in as needed. I know that that time of day is when I am most productive. I’m not a morning person and my brain slows down at dark LOL Your peak time may differ from mine, but just be sure you have a set time to turn the work off.
5. I have a lot of support from my family.
My husband and children help me out with all kinds of things like: taking packages to the post office, doing laundry, making meals, etc. Most importantly they understand that what I am doing is important work and they respect my time in the studio. Having their support makes working from home much easier.
6. I take Saturday and Sunday off.
After years of working all the time…this is necessary, and I am MAKING myself do it. Sundays are easy to take off because I go to worship, make lunch, and nap. It’s like a lifetime routine that my body knows really well! Hahaha! Saturdays are different. I’ve not always taken that day off and still have trouble sometimes, but like I said…it is necessary.
Being mindful of yourself and what works for you is the key.
I don’t have everything figured out, and don’t claim to be an expert on how to get ALL THE things done. I am just sharing what works for me right now and hope it helps you, too. What I do know is that creativity is something that often comes to me spontaneously and when that happens, all schedules go out the window! If I am working on a special project, I don’t usually have a routine. I just work while the ideas flow, but if I don’t get the rest I need, all creativity comes to a halt.
A rested mind and body are very necessary if you want to keep your creativity flowing and keep your business growing.
Listen to the audio version of this blog post on my podcast!
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