I started writing a post this week about “5 strategies to accomplish your small business to-do list while maintaining your sanity”.  Ironically finishing it has been on my to-do list every day this week.  At the end of each day, I kept re-assigning it to the next day.  It’s been that kind of week.

When you have that kind of week…

Instead of forcing out content about something I’m usually passionate about but just am not today, my new topic has been born. Even the most organized of us have off days and sometimes weeks.  For me, it hasn’t been a bad week.  I’ve actually kicked butt on my client to-do list.  It’s just that my marketing projects have slipped to the side.  This includes blogging, redesigning the look of this website, and working on my Pro Photo template that I plan to launch this month.

I know how easy it is once we get into a rut or let certain goals start to slip, or how we end up spending an hour on Facebook, thinking it was only 5 minutes. When you start to feel the storm approach, what can we as small business owners and freelancers do to get back on track?

5 ideas to get back on track

1. 1. Accept the Chaos – This is an article I wrote a few months back when we were moving.  As a mom, business owner, and active volunteer in my community, life can be hectic. The first thing we have to do is realize that some days things happen beyond our control, accept it and move forward.
   2. Take a break – Go out for a 15-minute walk, go to mid-day yoga, or simply read a chapter of a fiction book (if you are the type, unlike me, that can put it back down).  When I’m feeling overwhelmed just getting my mind away from the tasks, for a short amount of time, gives me a renewed focus when I sit back down.
   3. Write a list – I’m a huge fan of Evernote, but pen and paper work too. The overwhelm when having a rough hour, day or week is often just be too much going on in my head.  The best solution for me is to get it out of my head and written down.  Whether it is ideas to go in my “master brain dump” folder, small steps broke down for a website design project, or our family meal plan for next week, I feel better once it is in writing.  My brain is free to focus and be creative once again.
   4. Pinpoint that thing – Is there one thing that is hanging over you?  A client project that has tedious work to be done on it, or a phone call you are avoiding? Figure out what is bugging you (often #2 and #3 will help with this) and just tackle it.
   5. Start fresh – When my hubby and I got married, the honeymoon was our priority.  We spent hours, days and weeks choosing, planning, fretting. When we arrived at our resort in Jamaica, we were greeted with, “We’ve given away the room you chose”. Next, I found a huge chunk of plastic fork baked deep inside my dinner casserole.  Next, the resort ran out of clean towels. You get the idea. It snowballed from a rough start. Thankfully, by day two we learned to laugh about it and had a wonderful trip, different than envisioned but wonderful.  Back to business and daily life, sometimes I have to call it a day.  I let whatever is distracting or overwhelming me fade away and start with a new open mindset in the morning.

It’s Friday morning here, and I’ve set a new to-do list of accomplishing those marketing tasks that I kept postponing all week, things I actually enjoy but have trouble prioritizing. It’s beautiful and sunny outside. I am feeling thankful to be working in a comfy chair with my cat nearby and a breeze from the open window.

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