As long as I’ve been in business, I’ve heard the mantra, “Work on your business and not in your business.” In other words, it’s so easy to fall into the trap of doing the tedious “grunt work” that we stop focusing on really investing time and work on the things that will grow our business or on the things that really matter.
Whether we are a business owner or a home educator, there are things that we can do to try to avoid this trap:
1. Commit to key habits that become non-negotiables. Things like writing, exercising, reading, and meeting with interesting people are some habits that pay great dividends. Don’t let them drop when the the projects increase. Let them be your anchors.
2. Outsource and delegate. There are many other willing or able bodies that can handle the multiple tasks that crowd our lives. Hand over responsibilities to children, employees or freelancers. Free yourself up to focus on the idea work.
3. Get away. Make time daily, weekly, and monthly to retreat and reflect introspectively. Ask yourself some good questions, like “How is this working for me/us?” or “Is this the direction I’d really like to head?” Spend some quality, fun time with the people you love. They will refresh you and remind you why you work so hard.
Sonya Dalrymple 