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7 Tips for Managing Your Time
Debbie Williams
OrganizedTimes.com
As a home business owner you
can budget your finances, create whiz-bang proposals, and effectively
maintain a client list. But when it comes to working with unauthorized
personnel, those under twenty and less than five feet tall, your mind
draws a blank. The thought of your three year old picking up the phone
and sharing her philosophy of life gives you the shudders, and you're
not quite sure how to balance family time with productive work time.
Use these 7 tips for managing your time, and effectively limit
interruptions from your own residential staff.
1. Set office hours and stick to them. Post this list on your fridge
or bulletin board where your family can see it, and remind yourself to
close up shop at the appointed hour. Being accessible 24/7 is not the
road to success if you are spreading yourself so thin that your family
barely recognizes you and your phone rings around the clock. Focus on
work during office hours, and then transition into parent and spouse
mode at the end of your day.
Performing a simple ritual such as closing your office door,
straightening your desk, or making tomorrow's to do list will help you
move from worker to parent in a simple but effective way, even if your
commute home is just down the stairs or across the kitchen.
2. Close the door and walk away, or put up a decorative folding screen
to block the view of works in progress. If you walk by your home
office or desk piled high with reports, it's hard to focus on what
your family needs from you. Although many of us can and do multi-task
quite well, it's fairly impossible to concentrate on everything
equally well -- something you hear and respond to will suffer in the
process.
Mentally hang a CLOSED sign on your office door, and resist the urge
to reopen for "just one more thing". Your family will thank you for
it!
3. Establish boundaries: create a "do not touch" pile or "do not
enter" zone in your work area. Determine how much input you need from
the members of your family when it comes to work, and let them know
what you expect from them. If you allow your four year old daughter to
color at your desk so you can keep her nearby, then don't be surprised
when she colors your sales report or presentation handouts. Consider
making a niche or small desk for her to use as her own office,
complete with office supplies. Be sure to instruct her in the use of
your office, such as what is usable and what is not allowed so that
there are no future misunderstandings.
If you do not want anyone in your work area under any circumstances,
then tell your family your wishes up front. Don't wait until there is
a disaster to notify them of the rules. One of my clients made her
rules crystal clear by hanging a construction paper sign on her door:
Stop Sign meant do not come in under any circumstances (work in
progress). A yellow Smiley face meant come on in and keep me company-
let's work together.
4. Create phone rules such as: no talking allowed, use an inside
voice, or whisper when mom or dad is on the phone, screen calls during
melt downs or family time, do not allow children or unauthorized
persons to answer your business line or only with instruction.
Early in my business as a professional organizer, I instructed my
husband and my young son to whisper while I was on the phone. Not only
does this prevent unwanted background noises during a business call,
but it also teaches them to respect your privacy when talking with a
client. And since I work from home and often choose to answer my phone
near them, I am respecting their need to carry on a conversation.
Screening your phone calls during temper tantrums (and we're talking
about your kids here,
not you!) helps you focus on home matters when they need to be a top
priority-- don't worry about the caller; if it's important, he'll call
back or leave a message. Use caller i.d. to your advantage-- I have a
unit on every phone in my house.
Unless you have older children or phone savvy spouses, I recommend
that you don't allow anyone else to answer your business line. Even if
your family member answers professionally, you may not be ready to
speak with a potential client or answer an important question at the
moment, and don't need to put them on the spot as a gatekeeper. When
you're elbow deep in diaper changes or mediating a fight among
siblings, the last thing you need is to switch gears and speak to
someone wanting to sponsor your sales conference! Choose wisely.
5. Assemble a quiet Activity Box during special times such as phone
calls, writing time, or during times when you need to really focus on
your work. If your children are infants are toddlers, stash toys in a
milk crate or wicker basket and pull these out before returning phone
calls or sitting down to balance your checkbook. Preschoolers love
looking at books or creating masterpieces with markers, and these
should be used only during special times. Older children might enjoy
watching a video or working with modeling clay, and that usually
provides you with 15 minutes or so of uninterrupted time (if you're
lucky).
If all else fails, just tell your little Junior Partner that Daddy
needs a few minutes to finish working on a very important project,
then set the kitchen timer and place it in view but well out of reach.
When the timer rings, the coast is clear and it's time for some family
time with Dad.
6. Use Kid Multiplication when all else fails: give them 10 and get
back 20. It's amazing how perceptive our sons and daughters can be
when it comes to sensing stress. Quite often, children are like
barometers, and taking a break when they suggest it is just what the
stress doctor ordered. If none of your tricks work, then it's time to
just set the work aside, take a short break, and read a story or work
a puzzle. Tell a joke, have a snack, or plan a slumber party. Your
child will let you know when he's had enough, and before long will be
back at building towers and fighting aliens. After a short kid-break,
you'll be rested and ready to get back to work for a few more minutes.
I've seen this magically happen time and time again, both with the
clients I work with and in my own home. I guess it's fair to say that
if you just can't beat them, join them.
7. Work WITH not AGAINST your kids' schedule by utilizing naptimes or
when they are in school. This is probably the best advice I can give
to anyone working from home, especially if you are just launching your
home business. Trying to force your family's schedule to fit into your
mold creates tension and upheaval. If your children are young, work
when they are napping or after they go to sleep at night. As they grow
older, you can do a little work when they are having a snack at the
table or in their highchair. Then when the kids arrive home from
school or your spouse walks in from a busy day at the office, it's
time to take a break and become the best mom or dad you can possibly
be.
In Summary
When the kids are awake needing your attention and affection, it's
time to evaluate your priorities and determine how much you will be
available to cater to their needs and desires. This is something that
every parent has to figure out for himself-- there is no magic
formula. But I do know that eventually you will figure out the right
balance for you and your family. You can choose the easy route, by
keeping the lines of communication open and reassessing the rules on a
regular basis, or take the bumpy road and work around the clock making
your family resent you and your business. But the journey can be
rewarding and filled with wonderful adventures- happy motoring to you!
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