One of the members of a business club and mastermind group to which I belong recently posed the following questions in our private forum: How do you handle work hours? Do you work all the time? (Be honest.) Or do you create specific non-work hours? And how do you not worry and/or not feel guilty when you’re not working?
The questions screamed “I’m struggling with productivity challenges and overwhelm!” Several group members shared their stories and overwhelm issues in reply.
Here is my contribution to the conversation – verbatim:
Do I work all the time? No.
Do I work most of the time? Yes!
Do I enjoy working most of the time? Yes!
Does working most of the time negatively affect the rest of my life? No! I love what I do and am grateful that I am able to do it!
Do I create specific non-work hours? Yes, but perhaps not in the way that you’re thinking about it. I have a ritual that I perform every morning and every evening, almost without fail. Together, they require about 3 hours of my day. Every day I put the task “laugh out loud” on my to-do list. I don’t pre-determine for how long or when I will do this – I just make it my business to do it. If I’m not on a tight deadline and want to take advantage of great weather (which is somewhat rare in Paris) and go for a walk or sit out on my balcony, I do it.
How do I not worry or feel guilty when I’m not working?
1) By making sure that I get the highest ROI items on my to-do list done every day. By definition, this means that there are items on the list that are lower in priority. If the lower priority items need to be done tomorrow or later in the week, I am secure in the knowledge that the world will not fly apart.
2) By recognizing and believing that I NEED and DESERVE to have time and to take time for things other than work!
How do YOU handle work hours as a solopreneur? Share your triumphs and challenges with us by leaving a comment below.
Author’s blurb:
Dr. Monique Y. Wells is a 21-year resident of Paris, France. Known as the Paris Muse of Productivity™, she is committed to helping passionate, high-achieving, service-based women solopreneurs and small business owners earning six figures or more in revenue find peace through productivity. As they build their businesses, Monique’s clients can expect to enjoy less stress, more income, greater satisfaction in their work, and more time to spend with family and friends – guilt-free! To talk with Monique about increasing your productivity so you can achieve your next bold business goal, visit http://makingproductivityeasy.com/discovery-session.