Success is Scheduled

I am self-employed, so my success is solely dependent on myself.  I also work from home now, so I can be with my little bundle of joy.  In the past few months, I have noticed my productivity has declined, and thus my “success” at work has declined.  There's no denying that having a baby around makes getting anything done very difficult!  Babies require a lot of cuddle time, play time, feeding time, and lots of anytime! 

So, in the past few months, I have found it very difficult to juggle baby time with work time during the day.  I know there are millions of Moms out there that also juggle working at home and caring for a child or children at home, so what are they doing that I am not?  I have been successful at work before, so why am I not right now?

I have read plenty of motivational business books.  Many say that success is in the schedule.  The premise of this is that we are all given the same 24 hours a day, so how we use that time determines what we will accomplish and how much we will accomplish.  I agree with these books, but what I have found is that success is not just in the schedule but is scheduled.  I don’t know too many people who have just stumbled upon success.  Yes, there are people who have a lot handed to them, which appears to be success, but for the most part, success takes work. 

Personally, what I have found is that if I do not delegate time each day or each week specifically for me to work then work does not get done or not a lot of work-related activity is accomplished.  It is so easy, when you work from home to get caught up in doing other things, when you should be working.  There is no one to make sure you are doing your work.  There’s no one to report to.  It is so easy to fall victim to laundry, dishes, house cleaning, or even watching TV and checking email.  By the time you have a free moment to work, it’s time for bed!

I have started implementing my old scheduling habits that I found very helpful and successful prior to motherhood. 

~Use a Calendar:  This is the oldest trick in the book.  One thing I have noticed, being a new mom is that information falls out of my head.  My memory is TERRIBLE now!  So, we have a master monthly calendar up in the kitchen, where any and every event or appointment goes on that calendar. 

~Use a Schedule or Planner:  My monthly calendar then gets broken down weekly.  I use a weekly plan sheet that is broken down into hour-long intervals.  This way, I can block off time each day to work.  Anything from feeding the baby, house cleaning, personal time, and work time all go on this plan sheet. 

One thing I have noticed by using a weekly plan sheet is that, I notice when I have free time.  Nowadays all I hear is how busy we all are.  This planner shows you exactly how busy you are or aren’t!

~Color-coding:  I color code my weekly plan sheet, that way it visually separates the different activities of my day.  I use different colored highlighters to highlight my different daily activities.  My personal growth/religious time is blue because I think of blue as a calming color.  Family/fun time is orange because it is a fun color.  Work time is green because work equals money and money is green!  Baby time is purple.  Appointments and errands are pink, and daily activities such as showers, hair and make up and meal times are yellow. 

The great thing about color-coding is that I can quickly glance at the schedule and know if I have scheduled enough work time or family time.  The goal is for those activities to be proportional.    

~Make Your Schedule Visible:  I put a copy of my weekly plan sheet on the refrigerator.  That way, I see it several times during the day, but most importantly, my husband sees it.  If he knows what color work time is, he knows he’s on baby duty during the green time! 

If you schedule time for work, you schedule time for success!  It also makes family time more special to know that you have nothing else going on during that time - just you and your family having fun being together!  That sounds like success to me!