We often talk about how fabulous flexibility is and what a motivator it is for many of us who run our own home businesses. However, that flexibility can sometimes be an added challenge–at least for me. While I truly appreciate being able to parcel out my day and take time to attend to my family, friends, errands, etc., staying motivated during those “divided days” can be incredibly tough!
A divided day is one where you might get up in the morning, work for a couple hours, then head out to volunteer at a child’s school or need to do some housework, then it is back to work for an hour before a doctor’s appointment. You might squeeze in another hour and half before the kids come home from school and then there is the busy-ness of after school and the dinner hour. You might also find yourself back to work after everyone has gone to bed. I don’t know about you, but those days when everything is chopped and broken up are the most difficult for me. It is so easy just to get out of work mode and have trouble getting back down to things after I’ve been away for a few hours.
It helps if I make a list and a written schedule–that way I can check things off and remind myself what I need to accomplish for the day–but that is not always enough to keep me motivated. I have learned that whenever possible, I need to get as much work done during those blocks as I can–just in case I don’t get back to it for another session. The more I get done first thing in the morning, the better my days generally go. Once a chopped-up day gets underway, there can be so many incidentals I cannot control (and some I can) and I can give into the momentum.
Also: Too Much “Home” in Your Home Business
When You Get Overwhelmed,It Might be Time to Take a Break