How do you handle it all?
June 15th, 2010 | Author: Melissa Ingold
My life has been so nuts lately that it feels like my business is growing dusty and I’m missing out on great opportunities.
Do you ever feel like this?
I would love to hear about your own experience and how you manage it all. Please share your story with me in the comment section. 
Posted in 17 Responses to “How do you handle it all?”
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Twitter: TheJohnSoares
:
Melissa, I’m in the same boat with business right now.
I keep a detailed to-do list ranked by priority.
I do the high-priority items first, even when they’re hard…
Twitter: imsweetie
:
Hi John, priority is a good way to go about it for sure! Thanks for sharing
Twitter: eEdgeMarketing
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Hi Melissa,
It’s hard to keep up, that’s for sure! I have been working my regular job and working on my own business for a while. Seems with summer here there is so much more to do! I am still working on the manage it ALL part!
I guess it’s comforting to know I am not alone!
thanks,
Tess
Twitter: imsweetie
:
Yes, lol, seems like all of a sudden there is so much going on
Twitter: MaryB2010
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Hi Melissa,
Although I don’t have children at home anymore, I do watch my 3 year old granddaughter, work a full time JOB with my husband at our small brick and mortar business, all while trying to get an online business profitable.
I haven’t posted to my blog as often as I feel I should have the past month or so, simply because with all the holidays on the weekends, I’ve had houseguests, on the weekends. And weekends are when I get most of my online business work done.
I will be teaching an Adult Education class on Gluten Intolerance class at the local Vo Tech school in the fall, for newly diagnosed Celiacs. So I’ll really need to stay focused. I just need to figure out how to make my blog profitable.
What has helped me stay fairly on track and focused is a calendar in a 3 ring binder. It is a mix of Alice Seba’s Planning Calendar, a microsoft monthly calendar and weekly planner sheets that I printed off of The Homeschool Mom.com website. Since I’ve started using this homemade planner, my production and utilization of time and resources has grown exponentially.
Now I just need to get a bigger home office.
Twitter: imsweetie
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Wow Mary, you’re a busy bee. Glad to hear the kind of system you’re using. I do have a business planning system in place, but it doesn’t really help if you lack the motivation to use it
I also outsource A LOT, but there are still many things that have to be handled by me, so getting those things done lately has been tough. But fortunately, I feel myself coming out of this lull I’ve been in – woot, woot!
Twitter: Marya_Miller
:
I’ve cut down on a lot of things – decluttered my house (in preparation for a move to smaller quarters); cut my daily priorities down to 3, with only one being mandatory; and generally just simplified all over the place.
Another thing I’ve found essential is a timeline: I count backwards from events (like the move) and figure out what one essential thing per day has to be done-no-matter-what then enter it in a yearly calendar, and break it down into a monthly one. It helps me stay on schedule.
Oh, and stop beating self up for events and people beyond my control.
It’s proving to be a good policy so far.
Twitter: aureliaw
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Your policy sounds like a good one!!
Twitter: imsweetie
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Marya, I love your idea of making just 1 thing a day mandatory, that would take the stress off for sure. It’s hard not to get upset over things out of your control, but we can try to remember that it’s not our fault
Twitter: aureliaw
:
What a timely post Melissa!! I’ve felt the same way on many occasions and when I do that when I usually take “inventory” of whats going on in my life. Normally when I feel like my business needs a kick in the pants and needs to be dusted off – I will lean on Folks like Kelly and other Mom Mastermind members for that breath of fresh “business” air that I need.
When it comes to my personal life, well – I re-evaluate what is truly important to me and make sure that I am giving it the time that it deserves. With that being said, I am also sure to cut out or down on things that don’t require as much time and don’t point me into the direction that I want to go in.
I also keep a good schedule of things and keep a watchful eye on where I am spending my time.
Lastly — I love to have FUN!! I make sure that I connect with friends at least 1 or 2 times a month and just take off the Business hat, the mommy hat, the wife hat and just enjoy me!
Twitter: imsweetie
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Great suggestions Aurelia! Taking a business inventory is always a good thing, and I’m glad you suggested it because it’s really time to do one myself again
Everyone hits slow times in their business and in their lives. The important thing to do is to put things into perspective and concentrate on the things you do well and work on the things that need improving. Keep your head up and continue to work hard.
Twitter: imsweetie
:
Thanks for your comment Nathan!
I can’t say business is slow, since I’ve worked hard to make sure it continues to thrive and profit even when I’m not around to work, and it does. But I guess I feel like it’s growing dusty because my personal life has been too crazy for me to blog, push new projects forward, and plan for the rest of the year. Heck, my time on Twitter has dwindled to almost nothing too
I’ve also had to turn down some great opportunities because of my busy life, so that’s been disappointing to say the least. But I’m pushing forward, will do a business inventory, and break through this slump!
Melissa
Twitter: aureliaw
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Hee Hee Melissa — maybe you need a life coach
I think doing another business inventory is perfect. Heck you may want to do a “personal life” inventory while you are at it and then readjust everything in order to strike that balance you want. The fact that you say that its been disappointing to have to turn down some great opportunities (in business) speaks volumes! I have no doubt that you will be back in full swing soon
Twitter: imsweetie
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Ya, lol! But there’s not much I can do about the craziness in my personal life since it’s necessary…managing baby’s medical care and special needs, we’re in the hectic process of buying and selling a home, and the kids are finishing up the last few days of school. It all makes for one tired and unmotivated (work wise) momma
I think if you are in a rut you need to go out and try one of the ideas you have had on the back burner, just go out and try something new. you’ll be surprised how much it revitalizes you even if it doesn’t pan out.
Twitter: Marya_Miller
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Hope the moving is going well, Melissa – I’ve done it a good few times in my life, since we used to flip houses, and its always crazy. Just try to remember (a) glitches and hitches are normal, especially at the last minute (b) they will get solved.
My last bit of moving, uh, wisdom?
When assessing your packing time, never underestimate what’s in the basement!