Hope for the Overwhelmed Home Business Owner

If you're like me and work from home, you know how stressful it can be to own a home business. Although I absolutely love what I do, I get frustrated at times because there never seems to be enough hours in the day. I try to return all of my emails personally, but some days I don't get back to everyone as promptly as I'd like to. (If this has been you, please accept my apology!)

And what about your household and family responsibilities? At times does it just seem completely overwhelming? Our oldest son moved out a few years ago, but I still have four kids living at home -- which certainly makes things lively! With teenagers, it seems like you're constantly driving to music lessons, sports practice, drivers' training, friends' houses, youth group activities, after school programs, and did I mention the mall?

Do you feel pushed to the limit? I know that many times I do. That's when I realize that it's time to slow down and reconnect with myself. I shut the door, close my computer, and sit in my reading chair or lay down on the floor and just focus on my breathing for a few minutes. Then I ask myself why it is that I'm doing what I'm doing. I think about my vision for helping other women like myself (and now husbands as well) to make sense out of the changes and challenges that midlife brings so they can make choices that will bring them a fulfilling and meaningful life.

This is the passion that drives me, but I also know that I need to take care of myself -- just as I encourage all of you to do as well. Therefore, I take breaks to be with my family, or have lunch with a friend, or just to take some quiet time by myself (usually at a local bookstore in one of those big, overstuffed chairs where I can lose myself for hours in a pile of books). I don't do this as often as I should, but when I do, I return to my work refreshed and rejuvenated.

Systems and routines are also key to staying afloat when the demands of your business threaten to capsize you. Just as you have routines for caring for your house, it's important to have daily, weekly, and monthly systems in place for managing your business. Without them, you're just flying by the seat of your pants and not being very effective with your precious time.

Do first things first. Determine what is the highest payoff activity in your business and make time for it every day. For me, it's writing. If I don't make time for writing every day, then I'm not doing my "main thing." It's so easy to get caught up in reading emails, processing orders, answering voice mail messages, checking stats, that I can go for days without writing. That's not good. I'm now trying to write first in the morning and then answer emails, followed by everything else. If your business involves sales, then your "main thing" is to call on potential clients every day. If your business is creating a product, then your main business is to do your craft every day. If you don't do your main thing, then everything else is meaningless.

Finally, it's important to keep growing and learning more about your industry. Do you subscribe to industry journals? Do you continually invest in home study programs that will teach you more about your product or service? Do you take classes that will improve your knowledge and skills? Even the "masters" keep practicing their craft so that they will challenge themselves to new levels of expertise. Don't allow yourself to get stuck in a rut! Keep growing so your business will continue to grow and flourish.

What kind of home business do you have? Share some of your ideas for avoiding that overwhelmed feeling.