I realized yesterday that part of MY problem is that i didn't have set "business hours". Now I know that as a new entrepreneur that concept is, at times, laughable. In order for the business to grow, sacrifice is necessary. Since I've jumped head first into my business, I could easily make it a 24/7 job. However, I need my sanity in order to be effective with my clients.So starting today, I've implemented business hours. It's still definitely a full-time job +; a full time job based in 2 locations (my home office and the office I where I see clients). I'm hoping with this restriction, I can stop feeling guilty about doing things like taking a walk, going to see a movie, spending time with family/friends (read: taking care of me). This will also help with things like going grocery shopping, catching a matinée of Sex & The City, and watching Divorce Court during the day. Everything was so blended that I had no concept of when I was working and when I was living.Now, I know that these "hours" are not going to be adhered to strictly, just as they weren't in my former lives of teacher and therapist. There will be times when I have to start my day early, end late, and work on the weekend. But at least with some boundaries, I won't burn out and become a small business statistic.www.NatashaCrawford.com
Thanks for the comments! It's a club you don't necessarily want to belong to, but I'm glad to know I'm not alone. :)
I'm still working on keeping to the schedule that I set up for myself. I keep breaking my rules!
I need to implement a new schedule. My struggle has be maintaining one in the past. Not prioritizing and learning to say NO have derailed my efforts in the past. Now that I know what the problems were it's time to be more focused than I have been. Thanks for the reminder.
That is so very important to do - fits right in with making a schedule. I do my best work, i.e. formulating, creating, making product, at night after the little ones have gone to bed. Luckily for me, they go down at 7 pm.
Office hours also make you seem more official, instead like you said, everything being blended together.
I'm a crack of dawn person... when the world is quiet.. no phones ringing... no child talking my head off..no man saying..."what's to eat!!" I try to get up at 6am every day and go right to work!! Notice I said try! :-)
Thank you for all of your comments! I learned an interesting lesson yesterday and wanted to share.
Find out what time of day you're most productive, work during that time and then STOP. If you keep going, it's not going to be your best work. If your best work is at 3AM, noon, or 8pm, so be it.
My first thought was "Hmm. That's interesting." There are definitely parts of the day when I'm completely under-productive.
Something to think about.
Good for you! I've been there and done that. In ways you "guilt" yourself into feeling like every minute you have to be doing something,or how dare I just sit when there's so much to do? You definetly must draw the line somewhere. Best of luck,Candace
Comments
I'm still working on keeping to the schedule that I set up for myself. I keep breaking my rules!
I need to re implement my work schedule to coincide with summer break.
Quanisha
Office hours also make you seem more official, instead like you said, everything being blended together.
CeeCee
Find out what time of day you're most productive, work during that time and then STOP. If you keep going, it's not going to be your best work. If your best work is at 3AM, noon, or 8pm, so be it.
My first thought was "Hmm. That's interesting." There are definitely parts of the day when I'm completely under-productive.
Something to think about.
Blessings!
Charna
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next