As I work from home on writing projects (more on that later), blog, crochet, and run Etsy shops, I realize it’s important to find a daily rhythm and focus on larger goals for myself creatively + professionally. I want my blog to be a space where I write about that. I read wonderful tips from people in all careers. But those of us in some state of “in progress” could benefit from talking to each other and learning more about what works and doesn’t in regards to living creatively, doing what you dream of, and just makin’ it work. This post is the first in what isn’t as much a series as thoughts from my experience, but hopefully people can connect with it and share too 🙂
Do you consider yourself more deadline driven or self-motivated? When you work from home, it gets complicated.
While I’m pretty ambitious, I still consider myself very deadline driven. I didn’t know just how much so until earlier this year when I began these to-do lists each morning. Because I’m a writer and shop owner, to name a couple of my more concrete projects, these to-do lists were long and winding.
Each day there was something that didn’t get done.
There was a pattern: it was always the one without the hard deadline. That meant the essay I planned to write, the idea I wanted to pitch, my own blog’s redesign, etc.—always the things that no one counted on me for.
It seems like I know my priorities. But when I don’t have a deadline, I lose focus on a project, even when it’s as simple as flushing out a really cool idea I have.
I recently read The Difference Between Dreaming and Doing on The Everygirl, which I needed to hear but really didn’t want to. It’s uncanny how accurate this post was for me. So I created deadlines even for obscure plans I have, like “write a book,” “pitch x idea,” and “prepare Etsy for fall”. It’s helped put things in perspective a bit.
Everyone’s different, but if those big-picture ideas and plans are disproportionate to actual accomplishment (ah, I hate to admit it), these tips are for you:
Tips for Setting Your Own Deadlines
1. Be ambitious, but not too ambitious.
Set aspirational but attainable dates ranging from weeks to months in the future.
2. Create checkpoints for yourself.
One goal is to have everything ready to dive into the fall season for my shop by September. It’s so far away, so I created smaller checkpoints to lead up to that point.
3. Set aside actual time to complete them.
When you’re accountable for other things, the personal is pushed down the list. Carve out time to work on these. For me, it means either starting off with them in the morning or taking a break from my other work mid-day to focus on it. If I don’t do it early on, I’ll push it until there’s no time in the day left (I’m really sneaky like that!).
Or why not try…
4. Set up a reward system.
It’s a little embarrassing but rewarding myself motivates me further. When you work mostly by yourself, it takes more to keep going—you don’t have someone checking in and reassuring you you’re on the right track. One thing I’ve experimented with is creating a motivator that relates to my business. For example, if I pump out x inventory in x amount of time, I can begin designing my new craft space. It’s kind of silly, but it keeps me going because I know it’s not reasonable to pay for a new workspace when I don’t even have a plan in place to make the money (aka inventory).
If you work on your business fulltime, how do you keep yourself in check? For those of you with a day job, how do you manage to move forward with your business on the side?
I’ve worked on my own in a home office for 20 years now. ( I know…..right?)
My office hours are generally speaking, my office hours. I’m at my desk frm 9-5. I have a to do list. I break the big stuff up into smaller tasks/goals. that way you don’t get overwhelmed by one big project, it seems more managable when it’s broken into smaller pieces.
also pure diligence. there are plenty of times i could pay attention to the dishes in the sink and laundry to be done, but I try to do those things before I get to my desk unless I have a planned day away from my desk to do household catch up.
so far it’s worked………
Thank you for sharing your routine! It sounds like you have it down. I get overwhelmed by the larger projects a lot so it’s good to see how other people handle it!
some excellent suggestions here! the very things i need help with. 🙂 love the idea of checkpoints for long term goals.
Great idea to break down the big stuff. And I like the reward system, it doesn’t need to be anything big. I sometimes reward myself by taking a walk, or making myself a cup of hot cocoa.
check points are oh so important!!
I definitely have lists and to-do’s that I try to check off, but they are not daily lists, more like weekly lists… Sometimes I can’t do my work though, if the house isn’t clean. It sounds silly, to put a clean house before getting my work done, but we live in a small space, and it’s hard for me to focus when there is clutter and messes that are nagging at my mind… So for me, starting with a clean slate, and nothing to get in my way, is how I stay motivated. I also really try to break down bigger projects into smaller achievable goals, that are daily… I love how you are already thinking about Fall, I so need to get on that – ahead of schedule thinking!
Starting with a clean place has definitely been very helpful for me!
My biggest thing is writing everything down. I have several lists and calendars to keep track of work goals, my editorial calendar, stuff we do outside of work, etc. Because you have to juggle so many things as a business owner, unless I write it down I’ll totally forget.
I also like to work on things in bigger blobs of time. For example, I’ll do several DIY projects in one day, or write several posts in one morning. When I’m on a roll, it’s easier for me to bang out a few at a time instead of breaking everyday up into 100 little tasks.
Totally agree. Everything has to be on paper for me to remember. Plus, knocking out a bunch of DIYs or whatever has worked for me the last couple months too.
This is great advice. I need to remember to set hard deadlines for myself and follow through with them. Writing down everything definitely helps.