Times of Stress

When you think about it - when is there NOT stress? Somehow, you must go on. I must go on.

For me, this week, the stress is one of those "it's not the first time, it's the last time" kind of things. That's when those five minute spurts work extremely well.

All energy is zapped. All motivation is zapped.  Out the window is everything I'd been planning to do - and it's replaced with things I'm now forced to do.

But my will power is strong. I will NOT let this completely throw me off track. For five minutes, I am going to write here in this blog.  I will take another five minutes and write my page a day.  You all know how I feel that business and exercise goes hand in hand, so I'm also taking a few five minute work-out breaks.  And five minutes to do a quick clean-up.

Lastly, five minutes to write out a list of what I hope to accomplish tomorrow. I'm including the hope of having a no-stress (or let-it-roll-off-my-shoulders) kind of day.

Did I mention that I sent in a book proposal?  It took less than five minutes to print it, address the envelope, and stick it in the mail. Who'd have guessed?

Tired?

Are you ever just tired?  Tired of virtually everything?  I am, but I know this is one of the pitfalls of working from home and I have to pass it.

The first thing to do is try to identify the reason behind being tired of it all.

Could I be weary of cold calling and getting nothing positive from it? Maybe I'm tired of working my butt off and seeing no extra money?  What about positive feedback; are you getting any?

Second, we must figure out what motivates us?  What do you need to make you excited again? What excited you so much, you decided to work from home, to be your own boss?  What makes you feel like you can "do anything?"

Lastly, you try to "fix" the reasons, make them obsolete if you can, and you attempt to recreate the excitement.  Even in love, you have to go back to basics, to start over once in a while, lest it become stale.

Your home business, emotionally, is much like love (the kind that leads to and resides in marriage).  Home business (as is marriage) is NOT a feeling.  But feelings do dictate your actions oh-so-many times!

As you are following my personal journey and trials of working from home, I figure I may as well let it all hang out:

Oh. My.  News text alert, BRB.

LATER:
Ironically, as I wrote this earlier, something happened that pretty much changed EVERYTHING. With Osama bin Laden's death, I can't possibly concentrate, as we are a military family (if it's in the news; it's safe to use™ - IIItNIStU™) and are on alert. Work your business while you wait!