Is it Time for a Priorities Check Up?
by Lesley Spencer, MSc; Founder Director:
www.HomeBasedWorkingMoms.com
Working from home is a dream to many people. And its true, it comes with many benefits. Working from home enables moms to plan their day around children's needs and schedule. Having the freedom and flexibility to attend school functions, play paper dolls at 11:00 a.m. or have an afternoon tea party in the middle of the living floor are all luxuries of working from home. Working at home is great, but be aware, priorities can get blurred.
Our society admires successful people. Many people are driven to make a lot of money or to be well known in their industry so they can be considered successful and worthy in people's eyes. However, it may be more accurate to believe we are truly successful when we are happy and content right where we are. The constant pursuit of more or envying others' possessions does not bring contentment. It brings depression and envy. If you've ever seen celebrities, who are rich and have "everything", you've probably noticed many seem empty and unhappy. Having it all isn't about money or possessions. It's about people and the relationships you build in your life. Happiness is also about being content with what we have.
A home business can consume you. If you have your own home business, you have to use caution not to let that desire for success or money consume you or make you lose focus of your priorities and the people in your life. The thought of success or making a ton of money can cause us to forget what's really important.
Thinking ahead five years, will you be most proud that you made a certain amount of money or that you enjoyed your children while they were young? Will you think back to all the rushing around and quick meals and wish you'd spent more time enjoying life? Will you have spent time together with your spouse building a strong marriage? We know good marriages don't just happen. They take work just like everything else. Will your family life be healthy or will everything be on the back burner while you make millions and become "successful"?
We must take a look at our lives and how we are living often. It is so easy to let day-to-day life consume us.
Are you happy? If not, why? Are your priorities in line? Are you placing a priority on your faith and your family or is your business consuming your life? Is it time to re-prioritize things?
Don't put your happiness and your family on the back burner. Family and our time together are too precious to waste.
Lesley Spencer is founder and director of the HBWM.com, Inc. Network which includes: the national association of Home-Based Working Moms (
www.HBWM.com
), Mom#146;s Work-at-Home Kit (
www.WorkAtHomeKit.com
), the eDirectory of Home Based Careers (
edirectoryofhomebasedcareers.com
), Mom's Work-at-Home Site (
www.momsworkathomesite.com
) and HBWM Canada (
www.hbwmcanada.com
). She has a Master's Degree in Public Relations and has been featured in numerous publications including Forbes, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Home Office Computing, Parenting, Business Start-Ups, Family PC and many others. She has been working from home for over 9 years and has two children ages 9 and 7. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
