Summer is tough for work-at-home entrepreneurs — between the kids being out of school and the glorious weather that beckons you outside, it’s surprising that anything gets done. Now that the kids are either back in school or returning to school very shortly, it’s time to get back to business (and for many of us, that means getting over a serious holiday hangover).
How to Get Back Into the Work Flow After Summer Vacation
#1: Start with a Clean Slate — Tidy up the office, clear out your inbox, get your work systems working again. Don’t turn this clean slate project into a one month distraction though. Give it a day or two max before you roll up your sleeves and get down to business (you know, the stuff that pays the bills)!
#2: Get Back in the Habit — Shift your thinking from the summertime “anything goes” mindset to “get organized so you can get things done” frame of mind. That means getting back in the habit of reviewing your schedule Sunday night, doing the household calendar and meal planning well in advance, and scheduling your projects and tasks in your calendar.
#3: Set and Stick to Deadlines — Hold yourself to a timeframe for each and every task. Yes, it was nice to let things go and dilly-dally through your to-do list all summer long, but now it’s time to get back into your get-it-done pace.
#4: Resurrect Your Boundaries — Make it clear to friends and family that you have shifted back into work mode. Even though you were available all day, every day for idle chit-chat and endless distractions during the summer, it’s important to let people know that you are now back to work and that means adhering to your regular ‘office hours’.
#5: Remember Your Why — Revisit your big purpose goals! Why are you doing building a work-at-home business to begin with? Is it to be able to afford to take the summers off without worry? Is it to see your invention reach it’s full potential? Is it to create financial security for yourself and your family? Remembering your purpose is the best way to shake off the remains of your holiday hangover.
Before you completely abandon your summer schedule, think back what you treasured the most about your summer vacation and try to bring a little of that into your work life. Don’t worry too much about those summer memories keeping you from getting stuff done because if all else fails, know that the winter weather is coming to help you shake off the last of that holiday hangover.
