Saturday, February 03, 2007

off-peak hours

Since becoming a mom I've had to make numerous adjustments to my schedule. One of the biggest involves my working hours. No longer can I hang out at my desk all day or bop out to a networking event in the afternoon on a whim. I've become what I thought I never could: a night owl.

Thta's right, aside from an hour or two in the morning that I somtimes manage to sneak in before my husband leaves for the day, the majority of my work is done between 9 pm and midnight. I've actually adjusted pretty well, but one problem I've encountered concerns taking phone calls from clients. Most folks aren't in the office that late. And trying to have a phone conversation with a 10-month old clamoring around the office just isn't productive. I love email, but I realize not everyone wants to communicate that way--at least not all the time.

So I'm asking for your help...how do you hand the demands of working in a home office while balancing your relationships with clients and your kids?

Monday, January 15, 2007

This is embarrassing, but it's been so long since I've posted I completely forgot my login name for this blog. Eeek, so much for staying on top of things!

I don't know about you, but for me, 2006 was a pretty crazy year. Much of it had to do with the arrival of our daughter last spring. She's a healthy, happy baby, and I'm thankful for that. But as any parent knows, infants are a lot of work! I didn't realize how difficult it would be to juggle the demands of motherhood while running my writing business from home. I had to be available whenever my daughter needed me, and I certainly didn't want to miss any deadlines for my clients. But there are only 24 hours in a day, so something had to give—and that something was this newsletter. That's why you haven't received a WriteTips issue in a little while (if you are a subscriber) or why you haven't seen a recent issue posted on my site. I blew one of the rules I urge anyone who publishes a newsletter to follow—determine a publication schedule and stick to it.

But now, being a more experienced mother (having an older baby who can entertain herself for bits of time helps a little, too) and being more than ready to get back in the saddle work-wise, WriteTips is back on track. I'm glad to be back, and it's great to correspond with you again. Here's to a wonderful New Year for you, your family, and your business!