Overcoming Obstacles & Productivity

During Monday’s newsletter, I shared some tips on overcoming obstacles. In the age of connectivity, it’s so easy to become overwhelmed when your business is your priority. I don’t think I’ve logged onto Twitter without seeing peers being overwhelmed by the inboxes or client demands that seem to never end. Owning a business is hard work, parenting is hard work, having a social life is hard work, and on top of that, there’s that marriage thing. When do you find time to be able to get things done in a way that’s healthy and allows for diversity in your schedule.

I do so many things, which isn’t always a good thing. I always say I’ll blog about it but I decided against maternity leave and started slowly working around week two postpartum. I had an easy labor and recovery. A is sort of an easy baby so it hasn’t been difficult for me to jump into things and sometimes too many things. So today I’m going to share some ways I handle being overstimulated and how I can still end each week successfully.

Obstacle: How to Put a Hippie on a Schedule

I’m sure if you divulge into any of my old posts, especially from 2013, you will know how much I hate the idea of having a daily schedule and routine. I could not identify with bloggers and business owners who forced themselves into a steady schedule. I really work best when I’m in tune with how I feel. Babies do not. How do I mix in my crazy brain while still raising an infant who needs 12-15 hours a sleep a day?

• Schedule meetings and social events early. I’ve talked about how my husband and I share a Google calendar. This is the basic foundation of how I navigate the week. Having important functions set in stone early allows me to see how much wiggle room I have to work and head out.
• Prioritize. Knowing what’s important is key to getting things completed in a timely manner. I still work with clients who have insane (less insane these days) deadlines. I have to prioritize social time, work time, and family time. Decide every day what needs to be done and work on those things. Do not allow yourself to be stressed over things that you cannot get done.
• Need a timeout? Take the baby out. My kid is only eight months old and goes insane when she’s inside of the house too long. We were out and about really early and it’s always been that way. Having regular outings (baby workouts, library storytime, mommy walks) allow for some prime bonding time while allowing me to hit the rest button on my creative brain.

Obstacle: Nothing Seems to Get Done

We all know that feeling? Something is happening, a big project, a newborn, a family crisis and we just cannot win. You are struggling every day to keep up and it seems like you haven’t made a dent in progress. How do you keep on going when it seems easier to give up?

• Where is your to-do list? If you are not writing down the things you are doing, it will seem like you haven’t done a single thing. I always write a to-do list for every day so I can know what I’ve accomplished. The days I feel the laziest, I’m surprised at how much I managed to work on.
• Break your block. Find out what is keeping you from solving the problem or just moving forward. Do something to get yourself moving. Try something new or move onto something else so you can continue to be productive.
• Everything is a phase. We are all going through phases and parents can co-sign. Your baby isn’t sleeping at night, won’t give up the pacifer, etc. Those things are temporary. Look at everything that happens as something you can overcome and you will! You’ll be surprised at how much time you can waste wishing something were over already.

Obstacle: I’m Falling Behind While Everyone is Getting Ahead

This is a BIG one for me personally every day. I see my friends doing amazing things and then I remember, they weren’t pregnant for ten months and they don’t have kids. #FOMO is real but don’t allow it to take you out of the game.

• You can always start over. Never think that you’re too far removed to be able to contribute, especially if you are a creative. Your voice, your work, and whatever talents you have are always appreciated. Start where you are not where your friends are.
• Everyone has their struggle. While you are worried about only having 1,000 daily page views, the person you are comparing yourself to is comparing themselves to someone else. Get out of the comparison game. It’s time to worry about yourself and what you can do. Everyone is struggling with something today.
• Find your inspiration. At the end of the day, you have to find your drive. As much as I have tried this year to come back to this space, I just found my drive and that’s ok. I am reading new blogs, learning new things, and finding my groove every day.

How do you overcome obstacles and stay productive?