Saturday, September 4, 2010

title pic Overwhelming Workload – Yes! You Can Do It

Posted by Tisha Tolar on December 5, 2008

This has been a killer week. It started unusually because the kid was off on Monday from school and the husband was home for three days for hunting season. So, while I was able to work, it was still not the same as a standard week and got off to a slow start.

So what do you do when you have a to-do list longer than your sofa and still need to find balance between work life and family life? Well, first you go nuts and then you buckle down and get the job done.

I acquired 3 new clients in the course of a week, all with multiple projects that were to start immediately. This in conjunction with my long time clients that also require daily posts. Plus I am helping to orchestrate a Christmas parade and the kid has a more active social life than I do. I also started aerobics just to help me fit into my sweatpants again.

But here are my tips that helped me survive the week:

ORGANIZE

Shamefully, I have been using Outlook for years but only this week did I venture past the mail section. I usually try and keep a notebook to stay organized but found that it isn’t always convenient when I am on the computer, typing, and do not want to stop to handwrite my thoughts. So I opened the task section in outlook, and it really has helped me work and think more efficiently. Who woulda’ thunk it? So now I do what I have to do and take pleasure in checking off the items as I go along. Much handier than paper and pen.

STEP BY STEP

As a writer, I found that only if I am in the “write” mind-set can I whip through the various articles and posts I need to create. Sometimes I can zoom through for hours. Sometimes it takes me hours to concoct an idea. So when I wasn’t in the writing mood,  I took the time to do some of my own writing and some promotional work for the parade. When I came back to the writing, I was ready.

PRIORITIZE

I work on deadline each week, with many posts going live each day. What I have learned is that if I write in batches for each site and pre-post them for the week, I never forget what I am doing. This week, I took one client a day and did all of the work for the week and then some, to get a jump on next week. I prioritized by which deadline came first obviously, but I also sub-prioritized projects based on when I could bill out for them. (Christmas is coming, ya’ know!)

DO EXTRA

As I mentioned, I like to pre-write in batches so when I am on a roll, I just go beyond what is needed in preparation for the following week. I already know I will have to take some time off for shopping and wrapping and I know my evening schedule will also be busy this month, so by planning ahead, I am much less stressed out.

BE UPFRONT WITH CLIENTS

I have always maintained a flexible but honest relationship with my clients. I find it hard to say no, but as I get busier, I know realize I must say “Look, I am happy to take on your project but won’t be able to start until next week.” Most clients are totally happy with that and appreciate that I don’t accept work and then blow them off. Some clients (none of mine) will think that they are THE only clients and expect your full attention. That is not realistic and I make no bones about saying I have other commitments. It took a long time for me to realize that it was not only possible, but that it was just good business practice to be upfront from the start.

BALANCING FAMILY

I admit, there are days when I wish I could bypass the family, lock myself in a room and just work straight through (especially when I am on a roll) but that is not fair to anyone. Quite frankly, if I do not get up and walk around after sitting in a chair all day, I will regret it. But it is more important to interact with the family for a few hours every day, no matter how busy I am. When the bus drops off the kid, I will continue to work for another hour while she unwinds. Then I force myself to get up and away from the computer. We make and eat dinner, do homework and most nights I am right back to the computer until 11 at night during this busy time. It starts all over each day but on the weekend I try to work less if possible. This month is a bit easier as a lot of Christmas shows are on television so I can sit with the family and work at the same time. It isn’t always this smooth and some days no one wants me to work which can really stress me out. I work towards a compromise and no one is seriously damaged…that I know of.

BALANCING HOME LIFE

Last weekend, when i finally got around to sorting 9 piles of laundry, I realized I had been so focused on work, I didn’t do anything around the house. For people who get to leave the house everyday, that might be common; but for me, who stays in the house all day, I can essentially never walk away from the dirty dishes; I can only walk past them…hour after hour after hour. When my work schedule is not so hectic or when I am just too full of anxiety or energy, I will clean the house from top to bottom just to be moving around. I don’t get any work done but I found that some days, just being busy allows me to clear my head, think of ideas, and just be away from the laptop for a few hours.

BALANCING THE MONEY/BETTER BILLING PRACTICES

The husband gets paid every two weeks. Generally, it is up to me to fill in the blanks between his steady checks. I have learned that billing all clients monthly was no longer working. Technically, since I am completely work each week, I have a right to get paid each week so I have begun to establish weekly payments from my clients. In theory, I started this with the new clients because at this stage of the game I can not afford (nor should I have to) to be working for free. Weekly billing is small but it is reliable and really has helped me build a nice monthly income without waiting 30 days between payments. It is also a great motivator in order to get things done in a timely manner. It helps keep my priorities straighter…

TAKE A DAY OFF

When hubby goes to work Monday thru Friday, he gets to be lazy (to a point!) on the weekend. I, in theory, never get to leave the office. We live in my office. The computer is always there. There are always emails in the box and there are always articles to be written. So, in essense, I never get a day off because I am a mom, a wife, and an entrepreneur. I am fine with that part but in the past I never felt I could actually “take a day off” from it all. But I found that if I don’t on occassion, I will end up just frazzled and about as productive as a potato. So on a day, usually a Monday, I will commit to sitting around doing almost nothing. It is very hard but I can get into reading a good book or watching a good DVD. The point is that for a few hours, I unwind in total silence; computer is closed, family is out. I cherish the alone time – if I can only stand it for a few hours before logging in again. It’s worth it every few months and totally necessary to keep my head on straight.

When it comes down to it, what works for you will be different that what works for me or other people. The point is, you have to put forth the effort to make things work for you. I laugh now thinking about when I first started out and used to wander around the house, feeling as if I should be tied to the computer since I was now working from home. To have those free days back would be great sometimes now that I am technically tied to the computer 12-14 hours a day. Of course, I wouldn’t trade it for the world, what I have now.

Work is good. Too much work is better. It means you are on track and growing. But you have to find ways to grow with it in ways that are productive and efficient so you can always remain on task and keep moving forward with confidence and less stress.

Have a great weekend!

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