Love Your Business: Guest Post #12


All month long join me here as I welcome amazing contributors with one thing in common
we love our business {blog/shop/etc} and we want you to love yours too!
To keep up to date with this series view all posts here.


Hello friends! My name is Chelsey... You can find me babbling over at The Paper Mama. My little online home. I'm a 29-year-old mama to a crazy freakin' lovable toddler, a blogger, craftaholic, and illustrator. When sweet Heather contacted me to do a guest post I was MORE than happy to share my wisdom thoughts with her beautiful readers.



I can't even count how many times I've heard a friend or loved one tell me that they either dislike or very much hate what they do to make a living. This makes me sad. I understand that we all need to make some sort of income and sometimes it's impossible to have a job you love... when you just need some moolah. So, I'd like to chat a bit about truly loving what you do.

What's my job? I'm a blogger. I'm an illustrator. That's how I make the big monies! Ok.... not that big at all. But, it's enough to pay a couple small bills and send me to a couple blog conferences... AND, feed my thrifting habit (but, that's a whole other story). Anywho...

First, I can't say that any of my tips will help you all to love what you're doing (I know I did NOT love my first job at Godfather's Pizza when I was 16... and, nothing anyone said to me would change my opinion). But, I do hope it can help!

1. Organization: So, as I typed that word I just laughed out loud. Ha! I am not the most organized person (ask my hubby). But, I do have my routines and own quirky way to keep it all an organized chaos! When I DO let go of my weird organization habits (for whatever reason): I start to lose myself. I am late on custom orders... I forget things... I'm just plain stressed. So, even though I have a weird way to organize... It does help me keep my sanity.

2. Don't be afraid to say "No.": This is a hard one for me. Truly. Sometimes I have too many orders and I feel guilty to tell people, "No, I don't have time to fit you in right now." If I said yes I can squeeze you in to each and every person I'd be spreading myself way to thin. My quality would go down. Quality over quantity.

3. Plan out your time!: Do it! It's so important. Just going into each day blindly without any idea of what you will work on that day will not work. Figure out what works best for you. Just like my weird organization habits.... I have weird planning habits. What works best for me: I list out each and everything I need to get done. Then, to the left of each item I put a "1" next to the first item to work on.... and the higher numbers would be items I have more time to work on. It works for me. I know that numbers 1, 2, and 3 have a higher priority than 10, 11, and 12. I also put due dates to the right of them. I'm currently in the process of setting up an actual calendar. What? Yes. I think it's necessary now. Hee.

4. What about time for you?: Don't forget about yourself. Lately I've been so busy my work blends into the weekends... and, sometimes my hubs and daughter head out to play without me. That's when I know I've taken on a bit much and need to step back and reanalyze the way I'm running things.... My work is better when I'm happy. That's a fact. And, I think it's a fact for anyone. Take a break. Take some time to be with friends and family.

5. Sometimes it is hard... and, that's just the way it is: Running a business isn't always butterflies and bubbles. It can suck (especially at tax time... hello headache). But, that comes with a business. I think understanding that will help. Yes, I LOVE custom illustrations... but, sometimes I just want to do exactly what I want to do (like, put antlers on everyone I draw. Ha!).


So, yes.... truly loving what you do is possible... with some organizing/balance/and craftiness. My favorite tip is DEFINITELY do not forget yourself. You are important. And, taking time for you will help a ton!

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2 comments:

  1. Lovely little post :) thanks for sharing! I know I need to work on my time management for sure!
    xo Heather
    http://ahopelessnotebook.blogspot.com/

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  2. Love that you're so willing to share your advice/musings/experience with others.Rx

    http://sandersonsmithstory.blogspot.com/

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