I blog in spurts it seems and usually not this time of year. I fit my business and blogging in between 4 pretty busy kids, laundry, cooking and cleaning. Two of my girls play fast-pitch travel ball, a rampant disease in my house.
In between consultations, driving and sitting through 3-4 practices a week and games and tournaments on weekends, I have very limited (and yes I have tried blogging during practices....CAN"T FOCUS!) windows of time to squeeze in the blogging. I have used the very wee hours of the morning or late night when I have the cone of silence. Cone of silence is bad, it makes one very sleepy.
This daily life craziness and the loathing of office politics is why I chose to be self employed. I don't like having to ask "the boss" for time off or permission to leave early. Those are nuisances only for regular working stiffs, not me!
The flexibility of self employment could be my downfall.....
I suffer from what I call Scarlett O'Hara Syndrome. Those of you old enough may know what I mean. For you youngsters, Scarlett O'Hara the main character in the novel Gone With The Wind (now days she would be called a DIVA!) was always saying she would think about it tomorrow. Bad, bad, bad. I have nobody but me on my case if I don't do things in a timely manner. If I ran my business like that I would be out of business.
So why the blogging issues? More than just not blogging I am behind in my reading other blogs and commenting. I am missing stuff... watching the AR train rolling by me at a fantastic pace.
Do I sound like I am whining? Well I am! I have subscriptions to about 17 of my favorite bloggers here on AR. Most of those bloggers are very active posting daily or sometimes more than once daily. Shoot, I get smug if I can do two a month! How does one manage their time so efficiently that they are able to consistently contribute to this forum? Fantastic self discipline I say. That self dicipline translates into consistent business and success eventually.
I have considered interviewing individuals whose sole job will be to crack the whip around here and hold me accountable. I am thinking of making Rusell Ray my cyber boss. His blog today was terrific and he is always my kick in the pants when I slack on AR (I don't think he is aware of this:)) He is top of my reading list.....uhh...when I am consistent. I guess I need a boss after all!
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Hi Ana- well, I enjoy reading your posts whether they're one a week or once a month. I envy anyone who can just sit down and type out one of these things.
Ana, if all my kids were still home (all grown up now) I would not likely be blogging as much as I do. It probably does not matter how much you blog as long as what you blog is getting the results you want. It is likely that with 4 kids if more blogging got you more work than you currently have, you would have even less time to blog or to be with the kids. Balance. Oh, and did I say "balance?" :)
Thanks Kathy, reading other blogs is what I like best and yours is on my stop in list too:) It does seem blogging comes very easily for some, me envious too!
Hi Charles, you are right. I noticed my site got more looks and the phone rang more when I got more active here. I have gotten a few jobs from AR. Those are the results I want to keep getting but it was really fun the first time one of my customers told me he read my whole blog and really liked it when I asked him why he chose my business.
For me, the worse part about being too busy is the reading up part. I love your blog and so many others and there are always those hidden gems and interesting bits you run across when you have time to surf. When I get behind I feel like I was left off the guest list of a really great party!
I can so relate! I always feel behind, like I could never catch up if I tried. It's a desperate feeling, isn't it? I don't know how those consistent writers do it. All we can do is what we can do.
Do what we can when we can ... Life goes on and we can't miss out on the important stuff especially when it comes to our kids and family..
Ana...With your hectic schedule, I'm amazed you find time to blog at all. It is really difficult to carve out time to read AR posts, make comments and write a blog now and then. Keeping up with family activities and business has to be the priority and you seem to have it right. Good luck!
One foot in front of the other ... that's my theory LOL. Keep on bloging or we will miss you ;).
Ana,
Whew...4 kids? I'm surprised you blog at all! ;o)
I can relate, it's tough balancing a schedule when you have kids to raise, but this is why being self employed has it's advantages. You know it would be nice to have more hours in the day to do all the things we would like to accomplish, but when it all comes down to it, I'm sure you wouldn't trade a thing! Think of all the things you would miss if you were working in a corporate job.
Like me, you'll get around to the blogging and reading when you can and we will all enjoy reading your new blogs as they come.
Looking forward to seeing the next one...when you return from the hectic life of the self-employed mom!
It's the nature of the beast... the biz that is. I have been in sales for over 30 years and I can't remember a single day when I didn't have a pile of papers on my desk and a basket of laundry to do. I have learned one thing... as much as I try to be super woman... I am not! Here is some advice from an empty nester:
Focus on the most important things (kids/family) and the other stuff can wait. There will always be piles of paperwork and blogging to do. But someday... very soon, the girls fast pitch travel ball will be over. They will grow up and move on, and you will find yourself wondering where the time went and wishing for more precious moments with them. There is nothing more precious than the time spent and invested in your children.
Hi Sharon, I think you do a great job! I always love seeing your family pictures too, just keep them coming they always put a smile on my face:)
Liz, you are very right, it just all flys by so fast, my oldest starts high school in August. A long way from the little baby in the hospital with pink bows!
Hi Carra, thanks for commenting. AR has been a big help to my business and times like now is a great place to just take a breather.
Hi Janice, that's exactly it, I always tell myself..one day at a time. I look at my calendar and freak out! Thanks for commenting.
Hi Michelle, thanks for stopping by. You are right I wouldn't trade a thing. I feel so fortunate that I have been here to never miss those "firsts" for my children and while I pull at my hair sometimes, I know I am truly blessed:)
Hi Melinda, thanks for your advice. I can't even imagine getting to the empty nest phase but then I couldn't picture having a teenager and now I do! I think I might die of boredom when it comes:)
Remember what my husband's wise old grandmother always said, "You always have time for those things you do first." So I do ActiveRain first each day.
Hi Ana ~ Just know that we love your blog posts when you have the time to do them! I'd like to write more too, but feel great if I can get in 1 or 2 a week. By the way I'm with you 100% on one of the best reasons to be self-employed -- avoiding office politics! At my last job they were a NIGHTMARE. Now I can honestly say I love my boss :-)
Hey, Ana - Remember what my wise old grandmother taught me when I didn't have time to make my bed, or clean my room, and take the trash out: "You always have time to do those things you do first." I still make my bed, clean my room, and take the trash out, but only after I've finished with ActiveRain! LOL
I've always had a problem with the Cone of Silence. I just can't to anything in absolutely quite. I used to love going to the library but only to check out books. Then I would go outside and read where there was background noise. Now, like here at 2:33 in the morning, the phones aren't ringing, there are no lawnmowers or leaf blowers blaring, no horns honking, just ActiveRain, me, and my music, set low enough to be heard but not loud enough to encourage me to start singing along. Right now I'm on the soundtrack from Top Gun.
Hello Ana, This is one of those things that I can relate so closely: "I have nobody but me on my case if I don't do things in a timely manner."
I may not always get things done when I should, but there sure is only me to blame...I like that!