Scheduling a Balance...

I've always had trouble finding a balance between housework and my craft business work.  I tend to completely focus on one and ignore the other. So I am finally buckling down and decided to give myself a schedule to help me find a balance.

Coffee helps motivate me when I clean!

 I've had people suggest to me before that I schedule times of day for  housework and craft work. (for example: Housework from 9am-noon, craft work from noon to 5pm)  But trying to adhere to that kind of schedule stresses me out for some reason.  I think it's because I get into a groove. I hit a stride and then get frustrated when I have to stop... or I forget to stop.  So instead of assigning times of day, I'm assigning days of the week.  So then I have a whole day to devote to what I want to accomplish.  And a night's sleep makes for a nice, natural reset button.

 I always do my grocery shopping on Monday mornings and tend to spend the rest of the day cleaning the house after the fun/chaos of the weekend.  And I noticed over the last couple weeks that Tuesday through Thursday tend to be my most productive sewing days.  And then by Friday, I feel like the house needs to be tended to again.  So I've decided that my schedule will go like this:

• Monday - Housework
• Tuesday - Sewing
• Wednesday - Sewing
• Thursday - Sewing/Computer work (Etsy updating, photographing new monsters, etc)
• Friday - Housework 

And these are not set in stone.  But I'm fining it helpful to have a rough outline.  For example, I am babysitting kids for two different friends tomorrow (Tuesday).  One set I'm watching in the morning, and the other set I am watching in the evening, so I will most likely not get much sewing done tomorrow.  But I love my friends and want to help them out. That is the joy of working for myself at home (well, and having my husband's income to support us!). 

A scented candle also helps motivate me when I'm cleaning!  "Mulled Cider" makes me feel cozy and domestic!