What Works Best For You?

Blogging is a very different job.  Unless you are very involved with collaborations and have a great sense of community out there in the blogging world, blogging is a very isolating job.  Also people don’t really get what you do and don’t tend to understand what you’re going through. You work alone and a lot of times you are questioning yourself and the validity of what you’re doing.

One thing that can help make you feel validated and have a purpose is to have your own workspace.  It is hard to work from your master bedroom in your pajamas and feel like you are creating masterpieces day after day.  Your environment is a big part of how you feel each day and affects the creativity you put out.

I always feel a lot more motivated when I’m dressed to the nines and I’m sitting in my office creating posts that are worthy of being published.  My files are all there and if I get stuck I have tons of resources to search through to get me going again. My office is not completely the way I want it, but it’s mine and I love having a place I can call my own.  How do you feel about your workspace?  What special things make it YOUR space?

A Space to Call Yours

Sometimes you don’t have a room you can use just for yourself.  I took a guest room and shared it to make my office.  Also you can put a small desk in a closet and make an office space.  Just something you can call your own.  Some people do well getting dressed and going to a cafe or the library.  whatever works for you will make your work more efficient and in turn more productive. Don’t use what may work for your friend.  Really take a look at what you think would work for you and go for it.

Distractions Can Kill Your Productivity

Taking away distractions is also a key component to productivity.  If you work at home with kids, you need to pick the best times that work for you.  Can you work while they nap?  How about while they’re at school?  Would early in the morning before everyone gets up work?  You are the only one who knows what works best for you. I have insomnia so I do my best work in the middle of the night. This schedule wouldn’t work for most people.

Also get rid of things that might take you away from getting your work done efficiently.  You may spend too much time on social media or checking your email.  Although these things are important for bloggers, they can get you off track if done in excessive amounts.  Set a certain amount of time to get this done ahead of time and then move on.  Some people like to have noise on in the background, but if you are one that could easily get distracted by tv then leave it off.

Scheduling is a Must

Often times working moms feel a since of guilt juggling work and being a wife and mother.  We wear so many different hats it’s hard to stay in one particular zone.  Setting a permanent schedule is a big deal to keeping you on track.  Your family needs to know when you’re working you are not available to them.  Setting these boundaries in the beginning is very important.  I like to be the best mom and wife I can be, but blogging is also important to me.  In order to do this, I have to balance my time properly. When I’m blogging I focus my time on doing that well.  When I’m at home, I need to stay off social media and give my family my full attention.  Then I feel I’ve given it my best shot and most days are successes.  The key is to have a good balance between your home life and your work.  Zig Ziglar said, “I believe that successful means having a balance of success stories across the many areas of your life.”

Yours Truly,

Jenn