Tales of a Work-at-Home Solopreneur

by admin on April 13, 2010

Snack of high-performance championsIt’s very rare that I make on-the-fly blog posts. This is good and bad. The good is that I like to think out what I am sharing with you. The bad is that I lose a lot of great ideas in the moment due to overthinking (anyone else have that problem?).

My goal for today was to operate at 100%. For me, that means being present, focused, and intentional. Poor planning yesterday is now kicking my butt today. Plans derailed and all that good stuff. It’s not even lunch time here in Los Angeles, but I already felt like time slipped away and I was done for. There’s no way I could accomplish anything. WRONG.  There’s always time to course correct – I’m not dead yet.

So, what did I do? I looked at my calendar and though I hate to do it, I found an appointment that I could reschedule – the one breaking up my entire day – and asked for a later date. Problem solved right? WRONG AGAIN. Now, I suddenly have “all this time” and “so much to do” that I didn’t know where to start. Do you see how I created a problem from what I previously thought was a solution? Nice.

Here’s what I am doing to get myself on track:

1) Set micro-goals – What can I do in the next hour? What about the hour after that? And after that? Repeat until I have to get to leave in the evening

2) Check-ins with my accountability partners – I will tell them what I intend to do. That’s a good motivator for me to actually stay on track.

3) I created a vision map of what my day was like, written as if it was 11pm and I’m looking back on how things went – what I did, which goals were accomplished, how I felt, etc. Whenever my mind wanders, I will look at this vision to help pull me back in.

4) Cut off a huge chunk of brie, threw it on a plate with a pile of crackers and settled in to write this blog post. Why? Because that’s what I do and if you don’t like brie, I’m not sure we should even know each other. Just kidding…sort of.

Creating micro-goals helps me see that the things I want to accomplish CAN be done in less time than I think if I stop wasting time and start focusing on the big picture of what I want. I can’t accomplish my BIG GOAL if the little goals that support it have not be completed. And surrounding myself with accountability is a valuable tool I use as a solopreneur to support myself. And of course, I give back to my partners as well.

When you are having trouble focusing, what are some of the ways you get back on track? I’d like to know!

  • Great post. I really like the vision map idea. I try to make daily and weekly to-do lists, and I highlight the items I've accomplished.
  • Thanks for stopping by!

    I do the same thing, and I also do monthly goals. I like to see the bigger picture, but breaking things down into manageable tasks is what actually helps me get it done
  • Jen
    Great post, Alaia! I am also completely ungrounded today, maybe I will use some of your tips. I still really like the time-setting one! The vision map is also great; my productivity during the day can definitely affect my feelings at night. It's so awesome to end the day knowing you've used your time well. xox
  • Thanks Jen - let me know if any of the tips work for you or if you find something else that does!
  • Alaia, thanks for sharing your process. It all seems very practical and attainable. I'll keep this in mind next time I feel as though I need a little focus.

    By the way, I'm more of a Pepper Jack girl but I'm sure we can find a way to still be friends ;->
  • I won't let our cheese preferences keep us apart :-)
  • I love the vision map idea. I find it is really powerful to define a verbal picture of 100% as if it has already happened when you do the exercise at the beginning of the day. It's like visualizing yourself finishing the race first, a powerful exercise. Love the blog Alaia.
  • Thanks for the inspiration, Marianne!
  • Hey Alaia!

    Thanks for the great post... Getting back into the swing of things isn't always easy, but taking a little bit at at time (what can I do in the next hour) works very well for me.

    Ps. I also took your advice and booked 10 minutes with Marianne, http://us1.campaign-archive.com/?u=d1bf3176948e3be3fcecd2f49&id=127eb555f1&e=9994b48590
  • Creating micro-goals. Love that. And it's a very simple, logical and practical thing to do. The best part, I think, is that it actually works because those smaller goals add up to the larger ones.
  • Absolutely, Mari. And I find that I get so much more done when I break down my goals into smaller tasks. It definitely helps me avoid feeling overwhelmed. Rather than saying "I need a write a book" (whoa!), saying "this week I'll create an outline" or "I'll write three pages of the first chapter today" feels like something I could actually do. Of course, like you said, all those things help me eventually reach my end goal (in this example, writing a book).
  • Love the ideas for the micro goals and since I have an hour until my lunch meeting I shall utilize #1...maybe with a hunk of brie! :-)
  • Everything is better with brie! :-)
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