Spring has sprung (Finally! although today certainly feels more like winter than spring, but I will take it). With spring comes thoughts of spring cleaning. At my house, not only do I try to clean my floors, my closets, my office, and living spaces, but I also try to re-focus my priorities.
Keep the Fun in Your Hobby
Building a business around your hobby in your spare time is difficult. There is no sugar coating it. And, if you are not careful, it can suck the fun right out of it. It can also make you forget why you enjoyed your hobby in the first place. I have definitely been there. I work a full time job that I enjoy (most days) and then I run my Etsy shop, and now my blog. I love to create things, but sometimes the logistics can be a little too much. Add to that weeks where my full time job is more than full time. And of course there is family and friends and finding time to eat and sleep. It can make you want to go back to bed and forget the whole day (or week or month).
Pretending it is Ok Only Makes it Worse
What I have found is that pretending it is not building up only makes it worse. When this happens, it is actually the time to start tackling that to-do list. And remember, this is what you do for fun, so don’t let the fun slip away. Turn on your favorite music and do one thing at a time. Speaking of time, remember too that you can’t stop time and trying to schedule too many things in a day is not going to help. You can realistically only do a few things each evening. And if a spontaneous family moment occurs and take you away from your list, let it. Your to-do list will always be there (hopefully it will get smaller and smaller but it will still be there), but you might never get that moment back. Balance is the key. Now that is not to say that I have mastered the balancing act (in fact, my to-do list is a mile long and growing). But what I do know is that balance will keep you happy and that will keep your family happy. So start your to-do list, but keep it balanced and have some fun each day.
