4 Time Management Tips to Make Working from Home This Summer a Breeze
Over the past eight weeks, I've been to San Antonio, Branson, Springfield, Thackerville, and Dallas. Add in three summer camps, out-of-town visitors, various summer activities, and an upcoming trip to Costa Rica, and you could say, summer has given me a run for my money. In fact, I feel like I can barely keep my head above water.
Maybe you're feeling the same way?
While I love summer and all the fun that comes with it, trying to balance work, play, travel, family, goals, and self-care with a busy and unstructured schedule can be stressful -- and stressful is the last thing that summer should be!
If you're struggling to keep your work-from-home life together, here are some time management tips to keep you on track this summer:
1. Own Your Reality
The #1 reason I became a work-from-home mom is so I could care for and be with my daughter. And just because she's ten, doesn't mean that this sentiment doesn't still hold true today. So, instead of trying to be a full-time mom and a full-time business owner, I need to own my reality, and that is, my priority is to spend quality time with my daughter this summer. What this means for me is, I need to outsource more of my tasks, take a reduced workload, publish less frequently, and modify my goals.
Whatever your reality is, you need to take ownership of it. If you want to continue to work full-time, then state it, and plan accordingly. Playing the game of trying to do it all, will only deplete your energy and effectiveness.
2. Create Mini-Goals
Each year, I create a list of goals that I want to accomplish in my professional life. While it's awesome to have big goals, sometimes they need to be modified to fit in with the season of our life. So, for the remainder of the summer, I have created two mini goals for my business.
When you're creating goals, they don't have to be HUGE, and you don't need a long laundry list of goals to be effective or to make a difference. Modifying your goals, not only takes some of the pressure off, but it also gives you a chance to reevaluate them to see if they're still in alignment with you and your lifestyle.
3. Modifications All Around
When I evaluated what was going on in my life, I had to sit down and reprioritize my activities and ambitions. One such activity is working out. Exercise keeps me sane, it reduces stress, and I overall feel better when I workout. But, even though exercise is a priority, my routine has changed because of summer circumstances. So, instead of attending fitness classes outside of my home, I use my at-home elliptical machine, or, we go for a nature walk or do water sports like surfing, swimming, or wake-boarding.
There are likely many areas that will need modifications, so, be sure to tweak everything to fit into your new summertime routine.
4. Buy Yourself Some TIme
With the on-demand economy -- you can quickly offload your unwanted tasks to someone else who is looking to make a little extra money.
Hate grocery shopping? Use a service like Instacart or Shipt where you order your groceries online, and they'll do the shopping and deliver them to your door. This alone can save you two hours per week.
Struggling to get dinner on the table? Try out a service like Freshly or The Good Kitchen and have fresh, fully-cooked meals delivered to your door.
The tasks that you can outsource are endless from cleaning and running errands to handyman work and dog walking services. You can save yourself hours each week, just by paying someone else to do them for you.
Managing your personal and professional life during the summer can be a challenge, especially when you work-from-home. By staying flexible and utilizing some of these time management tips, you can take some of the stress out of your routine and enjoy all that summer has to offer.
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Holly Reisem Hanna is the publisher and founder of the award-winning website, The Work at Home Woman which helps women find remote careers and businesses that feed their souls. The content is not only motivational, but it provides straightforward and actionable steps that can be put into practice. If you are looking to work from home, this blog is for you.
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