Accounting Time

One of the advantages for most work-from-home businesses is that you can set your own hours. Of course, that means you’re the person who has to motivate yourself to do the work. That can be particularly hard when the weather is nice, you’re itching to read the latest novel by your favorite author or you just don’t “feel” like working.

In an office environment, you may have experienced times when you really have to force yourself to concentrate on your work, but you also have more accountability with your supervisors and other colleagues being physically around to keep you working. At home, the pull of household chores, children and other activities can be stronger and harder to resist.

Overcoming those temptations when you have a deadline in work-related projects takes discipline and constant vigilance to make sure you dedicate enough time to do a project to the best of your ability for your clients or customers.

This is something I think every work-from-home woman experiences from time to time. I know I certainly do. For example, as I write this, I really should be focusing instead on a project that I’ve been putting off because the deadline is really flexible.

This particular project has been on my to-do list for a while and I’ve yet to make real progress because it’s something that I just don’t feel as motivated to do as some of my other assignments. But I’ve decided to set some deadlines of my own in order to stop my inclination to procrastinate—and to get the project done sooner rather than later.

Keeping myself accountable in the time I need to spend on each assignment is tough sometimes, but it’s what God requires of me—that I do all to the glory of God and part of that means making sure I set aside enough time to properly accomplish the tasks and assignments I have as a freelance writer.

So I’m preaching to myself when I encourage you to not waste your work time at home. Be vigilant in guarding the time you set aside for work by actually doing work instead of thinking about housework or children or the relaxing things you want to do after work. Use that time to accomplish your work-related tasks and then you can tackle the other things on your to-do list.

Until next time,

Sarah

Realistic Expectations

I’m a list maker—it’s one of the ways I stay organized and on top of all that I need to accomplish during the day, week or month. But at times, I fall prey to what I term “the hole of great expectations.” Forget what Charles Dickens wrote, having great expectations can sometimes create more work for you with no better results.

For example, one item on my list might be to vacuum the bedrooms, but before I can accomplish that relatively simple task, I’ll add that I probably should clean out the closets first. Which means I’ve added more time and the chance that I won’t get the original item accomplish.

Sometimes, I keep adding to my to-do list without taking the time to do what’s listed there. This keeps my mind racing with things to do, but leaves little time to actually get the tasks done.

How do I conquer my great expectations? Sometimes by prioritizing my to-do list and crossing off unrealistic items. Sometimes I have to scale back my own sense of what “cleaning the kitchen” entails and skip reorganizing the plastic-ware cabinet for now. Sometimes, if I have a particularly busy week with freelance work, I have to do the bare minimum of household upkeep.

If time was unlimited, then we could all fulfill our own great expectations. But since God has given us a finite amount of time each day, week, month and year, we need to develop a sense of realistic expectations and learn to rejoice within that limitation.

So when I feel the tug of my own great expectations, I am learning to be content that I am doing all I can right now, in this season of my life. Perhaps one day I will reorganize my kitchen cabinets, sort through the downstairs dresser or write a blog every week. But for now, I will be content with my own set of realistic expectations and leave the great ones to Dickens.
Until next time,

Sarah

Superwoman or Super God?

As a freelance writer and editor who has three children at home, I often am asked how I manage to write and care for my children—and have time to sleep. After reassuring the questioner that I am not, after all, Superwoman, I usually reply that I tend to be well-organized, disciplined, and deadline-oriented. But that, too, can give the wrong impression. I am those things, which are assets to a writer's life, but I certainly have my moments of coming undone, either because of my own shortcomings or my children's, or just because of circumstances.

Would I love to say I handle every situation with grace and calmness? Well, sure, who wouldn't? But the thing is, I flub up even minor frustrating situations. While the outside world might see calm and organized, inside can be chaos. Good thing God is always there with His grace and mercy.

For me, and for many other woman I interviewed for Hired@Home, the key to a successful at-home business or employment is balancing your work and your family. Sometimes this is an easy task; sometimes it's extremely difficult. I find myself periodically re-evaluating my work and family obligations to make sure my priorities are correct, that I'm not neglecting my clients, my children, or my husband.

Until next time, Sarah