Have You Scheduled An Appointment With Yourself Lately?
This may seem like a strange question. Why would you need to schedule an appointment with yourself? Do you find yourself saying, as I often do, “I wish I had more time.” Do you find that you start tasks and never seem to complete them? How many reports have you started in the past three months or more and not completed them?
If any of the above questions even remotely sound like they apply to you, it's time to make an appointment with yourself. Many of us who have an online business have other businesses or may work outside of the home, whether it's a 9-5 job or another schedule that takes you away from home. You also have family and other responsibilities, which may or may not include young children.
It's very easy to fall into a routine of crisis management, where we just attack what seems to be the most critical at that moment. I know that has happened to me a lot recently…and that's not good business practice. It's not a good practice for any part of our lives.
Scheduling an appointment with yourself means that you will need to take time to put in writing all the short term things you need to do in your life, not just your business, then take time to sit down and make a realistic schedule. It would be impractical to make a schedule for only one part of your life and not incorporate all aspects. Do not think of this time as time wasted because it's critical so that you can reduce stress in your life.
For your business you need to take time to really analyze where you've been, where you are, and where you want to be so that you can know whether you're actually accomplishing your goals or if you're just like the little hamster on the spinning wheel. Just thinking about that poor hamster working those little feet so hard and going nowhere – not achieving anything, makes me tired.
Have you scheduled an appointment with yourself lately? If you do, what do you do and how often? Please share in the comments.
I think I may need to make that appointment, Yvonne, and your post is an excellent reminder.
I’ve been doing a such a tiresome work/life juggling act for so long, the circus should hire me – sight unseen! No interview required.
Have you heard of the philosophy in business, “Do-Plan-Review”? Well, I believe the majority of us are really good at the Doing and the Planning, but we’re falling short – and falling apart – by not doing the Reviewing.
It’s time to stop beating our heads against the wall in frustration and exhaustion by striving to be all things to all people.
You’re right! Making an appointment with ourselves is the perfect opportunity for a reality check – and a wonderful chance to revise our schedules to create more peacefulness and happiness in our lives and much better business success.
Melanie
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What a wonderful summation of the post and it’s meaning, Melanie. It’s so true that we can plan and prepare as much as we like, but it’s only a waste if we don’t take time to review. Trying to be super-anyone to everyone only wears us down and leaves us frustrated and dissatisfied if in doing so we’re not reaching our goals.
Thanks for leaving your beautiful comment.
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