STLWorkingMom

Ready for prom.

Needs a haircut.

I wake up every morning and think, “There’s so much I want to do!”

Today brought the opportunity to start doing one of the items on my list; helping to solve the homeless problem in the Charlottesville community. Today I was elected to the board of People and Congregations Engaged in Ministry (PACEM). I became familiar with PACEM when my church hosted homeless guests over the first two winters we have lived in Charlottesville. I learned more about the organization while working on the www.voicesofpoverty.org project when we interviewed homeless guests and PACEM director Dave Norris for a podcast series devoted to the poverty problem in our community.

I’m excited about the opportunity to contribute what I know about community relations, media strategy, development techniques and strategic planning to help this worthwhile organization.

There’s so much I want to do!

Scott Young has 20 Ways to Stay Productive While Working at Home.

When people find out my office is in my house, they often say they couldn’t work at home, that they’d get too distracted.

I think if it’s your lifestyle, and working at home is a permanent situation, you make adjustments. You adapt. Distractions are avoided. It does take discipline, though and as I’ve said before, it’s really not for everyone.

1. I will schedule and commit to mental health breaks on a quarterly basis. These can include but are not limited to something as small as a nap, a pedicure, an afternoon of reading a book (or baking, or watching TV) or as extensive as a day spent by yourself (or with your significant other).
2. I will not hesitate to seek help when I need it so I can focus on doing my job at work or at home better. I will not be ashamed or feel guilty because darn it, nobody can do it all and frankly, who wants to? 
1. This includes hiring help around the house and/or childcare.
3. I will ASK. Instead of struggling along, letting things drop and being consumed by pressure I will ask my employer, my child, my spouse, my friends, my colleagues to look at another approach that will work for me and ultimately, them.
4. I will take sick days when I’m sick, not just when my children are.
5. I will forgive myself for not being perfect.
6. I will boldly drop off store-bought treats for the class, buy the commercial Halloween costume, order out for dinner and dust only when absolutely necessary, unapologetically — because I know it’s in the interest of preserving my sanity.
7. I will be honest when a dear friend asks how I’m balancing it all.
8. I will use the Buckets method of prioritizing and establish “Events Not to be Missed,” such as children’s concerts, birthdays, recitals and on the work side, new business meetings, company retreats and professional development opportunities. 
1. When there are conflicts, I will bow my head and pray/wish/hope for guidance. 
9. If I don’t love my job, but I need to work, I will look and network until I find the opportunity that makes it all worth it.
1. I will not stay in a job where I am not valued.
10. I will re-evaluate my work life balance on a regular basis and when it’s out of whack, I will acknowledge it and take the necessary steps to change.

What else will you swear to do, as a working mom, as SAHM, a working parent or heck, just as a working person, to make yourself the most valuable contributor you can be?