Here we are - just hours away from the crazy holiday season. Last year, I hosted 3-4 get togethers in December - and you can be sure that I spent most of my time cleaning and cooking, NOT working.
But this is why we work at home - to have the time and flexibility to be with our families as much as possible.
Planning around down time is great, though it can be a little tricky getting things in order before you shut off your computer. Its kind of like the rush before going out of town. Here’s a few things you can do to ensure you get as much time off as possible:
- If you are a blogger, future post as much as you can, especially right before and right after the holiday dates. I plan on having posts written and ready to publish through next Tuesday.
- I have set up ad campaigns in my ad server that will automatically turn on or off on certain dates - like our Cooking.com Thanksgiving specials ad will shut off at the end of the day Wednesday.
- Promise a lot less this week to other people and clients; I have given some “time off” to our authors as well.
- Hopefully you have taken the time to build in some more automatic streams of revenue for your business - like PPC campaigns, lead generation systems, or email autoresponders.
- Get a cleaning service to help prep for holiday gatherings.
- In other words, do less. Play more.
So for Monday Motivation today, I plan on doing most of the above.
For those of you new to the process, here’s what MM is all about:
Step 1 - let us know what you are going to get done today (your to-do list, so to speak).
Step 2 - put it in a comment below or a post on your own site.
Step 3 - let us know what will motivate you to get it done - a reward, consequences, or whatever you need to think that will ensure you do what you say you are going to do. I’ve found that the public announcement and accountability is a particularly great motivator, but throw down consequences if you really need a kick in the pants to get stuff done!
Today before I go to sleep I will:
- Clean out inbox of 303 emails
- Write 3 posts and future post them
- Help my son clean his room
- Do 3 loads of laundry
- Work on my new scarf that I am crocheting (yes, I am a closet crafter)
Leverage :: If I don’t do everything I said I will do, I will clean my teenage daughter’s room for her tomorrow (yikes, did I just say that?!).
Kudos by the way to Sarah who participated last week and got more done in 7 days than in the last 30 days! Way to go Sarah! 
 |
|||||
If you liked this article, please... |
|||||
 |
Subscribe Via Email |  |
Subscribe Via RSS |  |
Add to Technorati |
Thanks for the reiminder, Wendy! I definitely need to write some future posts (I had done this a couple weeks ago, but I already posted them… so I’ve got nothing ready to go for the upcoming holidays).
I do have a few post ideas brewing around in my head. Sounds like a good time to actually write them down.
I posted my Monday Motivation at http://wahwebmommy.com/category/monday-motivation/ - I tend to do this for the week, though. I’m shocked that I’ve already completed all the items I had set out for today. I’m trying to tackle the Tuesday item today as well.
For a bonus, I’ll announce here that now also want to write at least 1 future post tonight (and not actually post it until I need to… sometimes I jump the gun and there goes my future post, lol).
And if I don’t get this done tonight…? Then I have to write TWO future posts tomorrow.
I hope you get your list done tomorrow so you don’t have to clean your teenage daughter’s room. Yikes!
It’s that zen thing again Wendy - but this time I figured I would check out your headline first before crafting mine - and it was a good thing, too. Off to write my MM post.
hello wendy (should i call you madam wendy?) just found your blog and what can i say you did a great post..my TM (tuesday motivation) is to do some revise for my examination, if i put more effort it will give more marks
thanks
Oh Monday! I had the most relaxing, non-working weekend in such a long time that today, I can’t seem to wrap my head around where to begin! So my first task (even though it’s noon here) is to get my head back in the game and figure out what I’m going to do today!!!
Thanks for the inspiration Wendy!
It’s already about 1:00 here, and I haven’t been able to do any actual work yet today because my husband is hogging the other computer! I don’t know how we’re going to survive with him having most of the week off. I’m down to about five hours to get stuff done before class tonight, and I don’t know when I’ll get on that darned machine. I may have to get creative and work on the laptop! My plans for today:
1. Post for Freelance Parent
2. Post for Global Heat
3. Post for Charitable Thoughts
4. Post for Camp Cook
5. Work on B.T. project
6. Bradley Class tonight
I went ahead and removed some of the items that were on the list when I went to bed last night, as I just don’t have time to do them all. Still, I have to get these things done because if I don’t, I will not eat sweets for the rest of the week . . . now, that’s throwing down the gauntlet for a pregnant lady!
With acknowledgment like that, how can I not follow up one good week with another? But, considering it’s a holiday week, let’s ease up a bit, huh? For this week:
6 blog posts
3 future posts (to follow your example)
3 trips to the Y
Personal statement (to go with law school app)
Enjoy thanksgiving at my mom’s
If it doesn’t happen, I’ll give up my soda for the weekend.
Have an awesome Thanksgiving!!
I think this week I’ll lower my expectations. I’ve had a lot going on in my family. My mom died three weeks ago and I can’t seem to come to terms with all the unfinished business. She was a wonderful lady, always taking from herself in order to help others. At the same time she was tough and sometimes relentless if she thought she was right. (which was most of the time). Maybe if I just settle back and not expect anything from myself I’ll be alright. I just started reading your thoughts and Wendy you are gifted…
My best Dorothy from grammology
remember to call your gram
http://grammology.com
Good gosh, if I committed to cleaning my daughter’s room, I’d be holed up the entire week.