The Queen is in...or is she?
Posted on April 20 2017
The Queen is in... or is she?
Last week the kids were off from school. Since I work from home, this drastically
affects my productivity. They are getting older, and it is certainly better than it used
to be. Gone are the days when I would have to hang a STOP sign on the office door
to keep them quiet when a customer called.
Did you think I was kidding?
For the record, it worked. Thing 2 and Thing 3 would stop at the office door.
And then proceed to scream and smack each other.
I wanted to say to my customers
“Excuse the noise, I live next to a WWE training facility”
I’m proud to say they never once vandalized my sign.
Now that they are bigger the distractions are just different. I’m not breaking up brawls,
but I’m tempted by days out Geocaching and hiking, baking in the kitchen with
Thing 2 or “lazy day” spent cuddling on the couch, surrounded by
Things 1, 2 and 3 and all the hugs a girl could want.
So, I stay up late and get up early to make up for lost work time.
And when that last big yellow babysitter, I mean school bus, rolls down the
road on Monday morning with Thing 3 on it, I’m ready to get back to work.
I walk into the house, look at my planner, make some coffee,
see the mess in my office, groan over my calendar and wish for my own lazy day.
Getting back into the groove after time away is sooooo hard.
My brain bounces back and forth between vacation and work mode,
and It feels like I have ADHD.
Let me get some more coffee.
What’s a girl to do? I’ve developed some tried and true techniques to get unstuck.
These are great for a creative rut as well.
1: Get Organized. Can’t think when there’s clutter all around? It’s some sort of proven
scientific fact that we are more productive when our work space is organized.
I read it on the InterWeb, so it must be true. Take 15 minutes and declutter the piles,
straighten up your flat surfaces like desks and work benches. Sweep. Dust.
Spray some Sage & Citrus Spray (Take me to Sage & Citrus) around and your mood will lift and it will all feel a little easier.
2: Get Organized. Did I already say this? Yes, but this time I mean with your tasks
and calendar. Make some to-do lists (I prefer personal and business separate).
Then prioritize them by urgency. What’s the first thing you should write down?
“Clean Office” Check and done! Don’t you feel accomplished already??
3: Filter Email. It’s a joke, right? 300 emails in my inbox? Unsubscribe from what you
don’t need and read the ones that are worth your time. Even a cluttered inbox can
feel overwhelming and annoying.
Sometimes this is enough for me to get going and dig into the real work.
Sometimes.
Other times, I right back to wandering around, going from kitchen to office to kitchen to
office and saying, “Why am I in this room?” This is me having so much going on in my
head I just don’t know where to start. I realize it resembles the beginnings of old age.
But, I swear, that is not it…. it’s just my brain being so awesome I can’t pick just one thing.
Some of you relate, I know you do.
More self-intervention is needed at this point. Because there is A LOT to get done.
4: Check in with your body. Have you eaten? Was one of those trips to the kitchen for breakfast?
Lack of protein and water does strange things to a girl.
Go get a drink of water.
Go ahead. I’ll wait.
Hi! You needed that, right?
5: Breathe Deep. Sit comfortably and take a few deep breaths. Inhaling into your
abdomen and exhaling fully. Sit up straight. Close your eyes. Just be. This will bring
some calm to the crazy brain. Ask for calm. Ask for order. Ask for motivation.
Ask for a cheeseburger? See step 4.
And I try again. How is it? I’m generally good to go at this point.
If not, I try this.
6: Do something creative. Color, craft, read. Whatever floats your inner child boat.
Soon, the creative solutions to your problem will flood your brain and you’ll be super
charged for your day.
Tip: This year I purchased this doodling planner from Franklin Covey.
I keep markers in it, so whenever I need to color and wander, it’s right there in my planner.
I tell myself that because it is all happening in my planner that, technically, I’m working.
Make Things Happen. I plan on it.
The Queen is in, again.
Peace, Kim
Kim is a momma, wife and small business owner.
She lives with her family in Dutchess County, NY, where she enjoys her rescue dog, bunny and chickens. Her family loves camping, hiking, geocaching, and all things Cub and Boy Scouting. She is the owner/creator of Three Sisters Herbals, LLC., which she affectionately calls “her other baby”. TSH is the same age as her youngest human baby, and they are all growing up together.
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3 comments
I thought I was the only one who woke up to 300 emails a day! I had no idea that many people wanted me. :)
Great tips, and this article made me smile :)
This is great, I love the work-life balance. I am happy that you had a nice week off with the kids and the stop sign was a great idea.