May 7, 2010
Are You A Work-A-Holic?
Are You A Work-A-Holic? by Kristie Tamsevicius www.WebMomz.com How many of us have had a day that starts at 6 a.m. - no shower -crunching on a dry piece of toast only to come across a major client emergency? In-between getting the kids off to school, buying milk because you are out, and attending a client meeting at 2 p.m. and hoping it will end so you can get home in time to meet your child as they get off the school bus. We all have days like this, that's life, but you can make sure those days are the exception and not the rule. When you work from home it can be hard to STOP working. Temptations such as the ringing of your business phone, the constant flow of email, and piles of paper work can easily draw you back into work mode if you let them. Tips To Cure Work-a-holism: Here are four ideas to help keep you for working overtime. Set a regular schedule for work and family time. Make a deliberate effort to stop working on time. When you are done with work, shut off the computer, and mentally shut off work. Let your family know how important they are to you by honoring them with your total presence during that family time. Honor yourself by taking that time off to live your life, renew, and dream new dreams. If you started your business to make more time for your life, then make sure you are actually taking that time to do so. Create a routine to help you switch gears from CEO mom or dad to family time. Ask yourself what you could do to mentally change gears and prepare for the family time portion of the day. Maybe you could change from your "work" clothes to comfy sweats. Whatever "transition" routine you choose, make it something simple that you can do at the same time everyday. Locate your office in a separate area of the house. Having your office out of sight may help you forget about work. When work is done, you can shut the door and forget about it. Another idea is to get an armoire with a desk, a kind of fold out workstation. When you close the doors, your work is out of sight. Enjoy your "off" time. Pamper yourself! Schedule regular vacations! Take time to relax! Spend time doing the things you love most. If you started working from home to spend more time with your family, then make sure you are actually DOING that. Schedule daytrips with your kids. Take time to visit a friend you have lost touch with. POWER PAMPERING I just feel like I can't focus today! I feel like I'm not enjoying my job like I used to. What's the matter with me? CALGON, TAKE ME AWAY! When you are CEO, head nurse, mommy, head of janitorial services, and chief crafts coordinator, life can leave you a little weary sometimes. As a business owner YOU are your most valuable resource, so it makes sense to take care of yourself! When you start to feel overwhelmed, it's important to know when to slow down and take a break. Below you'll find 10 tips to help you take a vacation pamper and renew. Schedule a day off. When we are the busiest, this is often when we need a break the most. Write a day in your calendar just for you. Promise to enjoy your time off. Turn off the computer, and don't answer the phone. Don't let guilt or a list of impending deadlines steal your relaxation and enjoyment for the day. Make time for the special relationships in your life. Go on a date with your husband. Enjoy a cup of gourmet coffee with a friend. Steal away on a mommy and daughter/son breakfast. Write a special note to a friend or spouse letting you know how you feel about them. Give someone a long meaningful hug. Spend a little extra time cuddling with your children before bed. Take time to celebrate. Make up a holiday. Invite a friend to a "just because" lunch. Order out for pizza. At our house, we have a tradition called "pajama party." When we want to celebrate, we all get into our pajamas extra early, get all our pillows and blankets, pull out the sofa bed, snuggle up, watch a special movie, and tell each other stories. This is a special treat that the whole family REALLY looks forward to! Pamper yourself. Indulge in a candle-lit bubble bath. Listen to some soothing music. Read a juicy romance novel. Take a day at the spa. Soak up some sun at the beach. Sip a glass of wine and watch the sun set in your back yard. Why not buy yourself a bouquet of flowers? Nurture your body. Treat yourself to plenty of sleep, eat balanced meals, drink lots of water, and take vitamins. If you've been neglecting a checkup, now's the time to schedule it! When you take care of your body, you'll have more energy and feel happier. Get up from that chair and exercise. Sitting in your office chair all day isn't exactly the ideal workout. Head to the gym, take a walk through the park, or take a dip in the pool. Take in a game of golf, racquetball or tennis. Exercise is a proven stress reducer! Catch a ray of sunshine. Remember the song, "I'm walking on sunshine, well...and don't it feel good"? There's nothing more energizing then feeling the sun on your face and breathing in some fresh air. Spend time in your garden, play ball with the kids, or take a trip to the park. I enjoytaking a "nature walk" right in my back yard. I walk slowly looking at each flower, and really taking each detail in again as if for the very first time. Be a kid for a day. Forget your responsibilities for just one day. Put away your "to do list" and revel in all the things you'd like to do but shouldn't. Let your house be messy, sleep in, eat an ice-cream sundae for supper, and watch a funny movie. Make up a silly song. Put on yourfavorite CD and dance! Mix up a batch of monster size cookies! Let the little kid in you come out and play! Renew your spirit. Often in the busyness of life, we forget to take quiet time for ourselves. I encourage you to take time to journal, daydream, read the scriptures, or meditate. In stillness, you can tune in to what really matters to you. Take time to listen to your heart; reflect on and honor the quiet voice within. Treat yourself to a day at the spa. When you look good, you FEEL good. Get a new haircut or a manicure. Get a facial or indulge in a back or foot massage. * Article by Kristie Tamsevicius, America'sFavorite Small Business Success Story. This article is an excerpt from Ch 10"Work/Life Success Strategies" of the new book"I LOVE MY LIFE: A Mom's Guide to Working from Home"by Kristie Tamsevicius - (Wyatt MacKenzie Publishing March 2003 Available at Amazon.com Join our community of Work at Home parents at www.WebMomz.com . Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.

Posted by Staff at 1:44 AM