Focus & Commit
I quit my regular full-time job last year to spend more time with my kids. Figuring out pick up schedules with my husband and trying to balance my work schedule wasn’t working out. There wasn’t any time to make a plan or “save up to quit”. I walked away from a job I loved to focus on my family.
This wouldn’t be a hard thing to do for most mothers. Women are creating a plan to stay home after maternity leave and finding ways to continue to pursue their dreams at the same time.
I admire these women, but I was not programmed with maternal instincts, like most women are. Finding my path to craving motherhood didn’t happen until my girls were seven and eight.
Yes, it took me that long to realize what my job as a mother was.
Fast forward a few months…
I realized I could not continue to clock-in to a “regular” job. From that thought, Texas Farm & Ranch Solution, LLC was created. Starting a business from scratch is full of fun, disappointment, excitement, nausea, stress, and anxiety. And, that was just on Day One!
Business books, Audible, and Pinterest became my focus. There was so much information I needed to absorb before I could do anything.
Not only was I trying to get my business rolling, I was also trying to keep Running in Boots going, keep up with the house chores, grow my daughters’ chicken and egg business, promote Neal’s Yard Remedies, grocery shop, tackle to mountains of laundry, and be a mother and wife. I still had to fit in self-care, email, all of the organizations I was involved in, and everything else in between.
My mind was enduring overload. Something had to change.
I decided to take my own advice.
The first thing I did was dust off my Brain Book and did a massive brain dump. There were so many projects, courses, books, and ideas that I had started and never completed. Armed with Post-It notes and markers, I listed every single course, e-book, audiobook and book that I owned and stuck them up on my window in a neat list, separated into categories.
As I stepped back to admire my handy work, I had a sinking feeling; I spent money on all of these things and had never completed any of them. What a waste! Moving one Post-It from each category, I could form a new column that contained one business course, one blogging course, one audio book, one personal development book, and one business book that I was allowed to finish.
That was still a lot to complete on that list, but arranging everything this way made it feel more manageable.
One of the blogging courses I had recently signed up for was Natalie Bacon’s Blog With a Full Time Job. There had been a short window, the week before I signed up for this course, for another well-known blogging course that cost closer to $1000. I had no doubt that other course had value, but I decided to pass, which led me to Natalie’s site.
I had listened to a few videos she had posted and signed up for her email list. While emailing her about courses she had recommended, I had mentioned that often abandoned the courses before I completed them. She responded with a link to her podcast that gave me a new outlook.
Take the time to listen to this episode of her podcast. I’ll wait for you…
The second thing I did was scratch out a rough planner. I love my planner, but I hate when things have to be crossed out and moved. separating my sheet by the hours I had to myself and the hours the girls would be home, help me to see how my time will be utilized. Time blocking and batching on my rough planner was easier to move things for me if they didn’t look right.
Lastly, I purchased Ultimate Bundles 2019 Healthy Meal Planning Bundle. Being the parent at home, it makes more sense for me to be the one to plan and cook the meals. {Side note: I hate to cook.} Using this bundle helps me to not have to think so hard about what to cook, what I need to pick up, and helps decrease our convenience food intake.
The point of my long-winded note is to help those of you who struggle with overwhelm and lack of focus to give yourself permission to take a breath, give yourself some grace, find a place to start, and commit to what is important to you. There are so many resources to guide you, but nothing will help you if you cannot focus and commit.
So, I raise my Mason jar to you, Ladies: May you find your focus, and your mentor, to guide you to your best life!
Love always,
