Well, as I near the completion of my next book, Working From Home & Making It Work, I’m putting my own words to the test. You’ll notice in most of my blogs I often relate one’s writing journey to that of an entrepreneur’s – especially since many of the qualities you need to “develop” to be successful at both are quite similar. I’ve studied and learned a lot over my 27 years as an entrepreneur, including what works and what doesn’t. Here are my top 10 tips:
1 – Treat your work or book project like you would if you were working or writing for someone else. Teach your family to support and respect your work as well. Everyone will recognize the benefits quickly.
2 – Structure your day and week with working or writing hours – whether full-time or part-time. Lots of people work full-time and have part-time hobbies or jobs for a variety of reasons. As much as you possibly can, be sure to set those hours at a time when you have the least amount of distraction and you are the most creative and effective.
3 – Be clear about what your goals and priorities are and revisit them often – check in with yourself regularly to keep on track.
4 – Journal on a regular basis, especially listing and reading affirmations that support what you want to manifest personally and professionally.
5 – Practice being present-minded and catch yourself when you feel unmotivated and want to procrastinate. Even if it’s not all that you planned on accomplishing on a day like this, make sure you do “something” towards your goals. Remember, if we only did what we felt like doing every day, very little would get done at times.
6 – Recognize the value of your work, and the difference you can make to others when you see it through. Know that there are other’s watching you for inspiration and they see you as an example to model their own life by.
7 – If you’re feeling overwhelmed, consider hiring a mentor or coach that can help you – they can offer you an unbiased, educated and compassionate perspective – in whatever area you need assistance or support in.
8 – If time is slipping through your fingers and you don’t have a good grasp of where it’s going, do a Wellness Journal for a week. Make a note of everything that you do over the course of a normal 7-day time period (all 168 hours, without driving yourself crazy). You should quickly gain some clarity, likely noticing things in your schedule that can be refined, changed or deleted – especially if they’re not directly related to your values, priorities and goals.
9 – If the work-life balance is challenging you, similar to the Wheel of Life exercise, evaluate your level of satisfaction in the main areas of your life, i.e. Relationships, Work, Education, Spiritual, Health, etc. There are quite often small changes you can make in your perspective, your timelines, your schedule and your communications that will affect more than one area in a very positive way.
10 – Feed your mind daily, just like you feed and exercise your body. Read books, blogs and newsletters – listen to radio shows – watch internet TV – focusing on content that offer you the tools and encouragement you need in your business and personal life.
As I reflect on the above, I can think of many other things I have learned and now teach to others who are either on their book writing journey or following their entrepreneurial spirit. And it is part of what keeps me inspired and motivated to stay the course on my own writing journey, and bring to fruition a project that I know will benefit many.
Thank you for following my blog here at Insightful Communications Publishing. Please share with your friends and colleagues, and don’t hesitate to let me know of other topics that would be helpful to include here.
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Until next time,
Sheri
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