Prioritize & Organize

Since starting to work from home, I’ve been reading some self-development books, (don’t confuse these with self-help books…LOL!). I knew even before I got started, that to live a less stressful life (whether you work from home or not), the key is to get as organized as possible. I still have a loooong way to go, but I’m getting started!

Have you ever heard of getting your life and priorities organized? This is what I’ve been thinking and praying about this past week…how can I get my priorities organized in a way where my decision making will be that much easier? It makes sense, doesn’t it, if you have your personal and family priorities straight, there are many decisions that will be very easy to make because they either fit or don’t fit into your life.

My very first step was to set my top 3 priorities, and this is what they look like:

1)      FAITH – In everything that I choose to do in life, my faith and values cannot be compromised.

2)      FAMILY – My family cannot suffer or be compromised in my life’s decisions, I have been put on this earth to be a wife and mom, and I take this job very seriously.

3)      SERVICE – I have recently been convicted that I need to have a servant’s heart. I need to love and serve others more, without expecting anything in return (this doesn’t mean I have to say yes to everything that comes my way).

Now, the next step of organizing my life is to make sure I don’t take on too much so that I can do a good job at everything I take on. Also, to make sure that my top 3 priorities (faith, family and being a servant) don’t suffer. I broke down my life into jobs and responsibilities. I heard from someone that you shouldn’t take on more ‘jobs’ than 6 or 7, if you do, some things, or some people start to suffer (usually your family and yourself included, because you’re overwhelmed and stressed out). These are my 6 jobs or responsibilities at this stage in my life. They will change often, so I will make sure I evaluate them frequently and make any changes necessary (for example, as of Aug this year, I will no longer be an employee!).

1)      Wife

2)      Mother

3)      Caretaker of the home

4)      Employee

5)      Entrepreneur

6)      Church nursery leader

I challenge you to do the same, make sure you know exactly what your priorities are (figure them out with your spouse to make sure you guys are on the same page). Then narrow down what your jobs are, you may have too much on your plate, so if you’re feeling overwhelmed, really think about letting go of a few things. Vice-versa, if you’re getting bored on a daily basis, add something…why not volunteer somewhere? Maybe you have some family, neighbours, school, etc that could use a helping hand?

Overwhelmed!!

You ever have those days…weeks, even months where you’re feeling overwhelmed? I don’t!

Ok, totally kidding, obviously I do, just like everyone else does.

Lately I feel like there’s just so much going on that I feel like I’m missing something or forgetting something every day. Yesterday I forgot to do the laundry…no joke! I brought it down, put it in the laundry room so it would be ready to go when I was and then totally forgot about it!

I’ll give you a little list of what’s been on my plate lately, not because I want you to feel sorry for me (I don’t feel sorry for myself!), but just so you know what I’m talking about.

Obviously being a wife and mom and working part time out of the house is pretty stressful. Just for kicks & giggles, let’s add in the fact that my toddler is just about 2…need I say more? I’m also 23 weeks pregnant…feeling good, but just more tired and emotional, which can add a whole new spin on things if I’m not careful to control my emotions!

Our vacation to Ont is coming up in just over a week, so not only does that take packing, but it’s making sure everything is taken care of at home while we’re gone, that Brielle will be amused on the plane ride enough to sit on our laps the whole time (quietly!). Then making sure we have transportation, car seat, play pen, etc organized for when we get there. Kids just complicate things 100%, don’t they?!

Oh, don’t forget that I also work part time from home, so that business really only does as well as the work I put into it. In the beginning it’s a lot of work, but I can see the payoff, so I’m willing, and excited to put the work in now!! A huge part of building any business is building relationships, and that doesn’t come very easily to me as I’m naturally a quiet, private person. I’m working on that, and really enjoying it!!

Wait, I also started taking part in a weekly ladies Bible Study…yes, it’s only one afternoon a week, but we have homework and studying to do for it, which I usually leave for the evening before (because who doesn’t love to procrastinate?!).

Oh, and I’m blogging about it all…so yeah. That’s my life right now, but I’m loving it and wouldn’t change it!!

Working from home, how it all started...

I have been trying to figure out my passion…you know, the thing you were meant to be? What you always wanted to be when you grew up? Well, I’m 28…29 in a few months (yikes!) and I still haven’t found my passion.

Don’t get me wrong, I have many things I am passionate about. My love for God and that He sent Jesus as my personal Savior, so that I could have everlasting life. I have a great passion for my husband, 6.5 years of marriage and he’s the love of my life! I have a passion for my kids, my oldest is almost 2 and our boy is due this Sept. I have a passion for my family and friends, for art, for food, for health, for gardening, for reading, soaking up the sun, for traveling, for being at home and for life itself! I will admit (a little shamefully), I also have a passion for tv, getting lost on Facebook or Pinterest or anything else on the internet.

What I haven’t found yet, is my passion for something I could make money at. Something to contribute to the household finances, you know? I have considered many different things. When I was growing up, just like many girls, I wanted to be a model, singer, dancer…you know, girly things that brought fame. I have outgrown those things (thankfully)…mostly because I am not any of those things and now realize I don't want to be any of those things! At one point I wanted to be a police officer, also thankful that I outgrew that, it just isn’t something I’m cut out for, and not something I want to do as a mom.

Right from grade 12, I co-oped at an insurance brokerage in my small little hometown in ON. I knew I wanted to work in an office environment, something semi professional, so this was a perfect fit, for the time being.

Well, turns out “for the time being” has lasted a lot longer than I had first imagined. Don’t get me wrong, I was very thankful for the job and enjoyed it, mostly because of the co-workers I had. I mean, in the end, who really likes insurance? When we moved to Alberta, I really didn’t want to get back into insurance. I found a great job after a few months of living here…as an insurance broker, of all things! It wasn’t the job I had hoped for, but it was the boss, co-workers and workplace environment I had been praying for…and close to home again!

Now that baby #2 is on the way, I don’t really have an option to return back to work, and neither do I want to. I want to be here for my babies, and my hubby. Financially though, I do need to make some sort of income if we ever want to pay off our debt and buy a house, which we most definitely want to do! Dream job would be signing up for some site that promises that you can make $5000 in your first week. Who wouldn’t want that?! I have researched different types of 'work from home' options and have found, sadly, you can’t make that kind of money just by signing up to some site. You only make money by actually working hard…big sigh!!

I have considered a day home in the house, working as a medical transcriptionist. I have considered secret shopping (yes, there are legitimate secret shopping companies, but they don’t pay much per job). I have considered buying used clothes and accessories from thrift stores, yard sales, etc and re-selling on ebay. I have considered becoming a personal stylist for those who need help navigating thrift stores and finding the treasures in the trash.  I even tried making tutus once to sell, I did make enough to break even, but it didn’t end up going anywhere. Too many people around here are doing the same thing.

In Feb, my sister in law told me that she had become an online health & fitness coach. This sounded interesting. Helping people to lose weight, but more than that, helping them to make a lifestyle change! I remember being pregnant the first time and having gained about 30lbs, I just felt huge, tired all the time, sore joints, hungry and just heavy! I want to be able to help people make a lifestyle change and become healthier! To be a part of this in someone else’s life is such a huge blessing!! So yes, I am now an online health & fitness coach and have just started on the road to helping others and I'm so excited!!