Work/Life Balance Part IV - The To-Do List

by Julianne Alvarez-Wish

A to-do list is a list of tasks to be completed or steps toward completing a project. DUH! We all know this - so what's the point in going any further with this topic, right? Not so fast...

The reason we will continue is because it's hard to argue the benefits that come from getting your commitments out of your cranium and into a consistent format.

Let's begin by breaking down a to-do list by starting with the obvious: a to-do list should contain things that can and should be done. You say, DUH! again? You may be surprised to learn how many items wind up on to-do lists that don't belong there - as well as how many are missed. So let's continue on. To-do lists should have items on them that are:

• something for which you are responsible
• actions
• something that can be accomplished in a short period of time...say a sitting
• something that works toward achieving a larger goal

David Allen, in Getting Things Done, talks about the 'next action'. He defines the next action as 'the next physical activity that needs to be engaged in, in order to move the current reality toward completion'.

For example, most people might put something on their to-do list like 'get ready for the trip'. The reality is that this is really a project (here comes my PM background). Projects should be broken down into the activities required to complete it. 'Get ready for the trip' is too vague. Instead, it should be broken down into activities such as:

• call the kennel to make reservations for dogs from x/xx to x/xx
• take suits to the dry cleaners
• go to the post office to stop mail delivery until x/xx

These are specific and actionable - it's easy to determine when they are done. Notice theses are all physical activities. Breaking these projects down into physical activities will help you

• clearly and completely think through the project
• make it easier to complete the project
• make the project more manageable for you

By taking this approach and have a 'proper' to-do list you may find you're really not as busy as you thought you were (because you are now working smarter!), you're better organized and have a better handle on what needs to be done!

Julianne Alvarez-Wish is a military wife, mother, business owner, professional writer, blogger and legislative advocate. She is the Director of Communications for Our Milk Money, the Colorado State Leader for the National Association for Moms in Business and the owner of Buy By Mom and Buy By Mom Blog. Her passion, purpose and goal is to help parents work from home so they can be home with their children.

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Work/Life Balance Part I - Love What You Do!

Being a work at home mom and/or dad can be challenging. There are a lot of things that require, even demand, you attention every day and most, if not all, of them are probably high on your priority list. It is easy to get burned out, discouraged and give up - don't!

One of the keys to being a successful work at home parent is to love what you do. You should be passionate about your work at home job or business.

For example, I have several things I am passionate about: family, helping parents work at home so at least one parent can be home full-time with their children, politics and writing. To tee myself up for success I have combined these passions - the way I have implemented them in my business is in a manner that they support each other.

Family is extremely important to me, as is helping parents work from home for the sake of their children. To combine these and have them work to support each other I did several things. The first is I partnered with an INC 500 company whose focus is enhancing people's lives by helping them attain their goals. They are privately held, have no debt, have an A++ rating and have been inducted into the BBB Hall of Fame. They have always been 'green' - long before it was 'en vogue'. Their sales have consistently grown every year regardless of the state of the economy due to their exceptional product line. This makes this a stable and reliable company to partner with and one I can confidently recommend to others.

Another way in which I can help parents work from home to be with their children is through the work I do with Our Milk Money (OMM) as their Director of Communications. Our Milk Money is a national search directory that lists ONLY self-employed parents. OMM is also a community resource dedicated to helping parents who want to stay at home find financial opportunities and support.

OMM's institutional ethos is built around a common goal to provide for our children. In this society, the average family is faced with a challenge to provide for their families with no less than two incomes, and are sacrificing their commitment to raising their own children. As a result, many parents are forced to give the people they work for more of a commitment than they are able to give their children.

OMM envisions a situation in which we are able to reinvent ourselves as parents and entrepreneurs, and where we are able to adequately embrace our family values and support one another by working towards a lasting solution. OMM's rationale is based on a concept that brings the community of self-employed parents together: by purchasing only each other's products and services and by promoting our unity as an organization. OMM wishes to see a vibrant change in the choices we make as consumers, to appreciate the VALUE of what we purchase, and to support the parents who have chosen to earn alternative revenue for their family by working for themselves.

Another passion of mine is writing. I love sharing what I have learned with others - it's always good to be able to learn from others...it can increase our learning curve and productivity! I am passionate about our country...the companies I have partnered with are great examples of the ethics and moral values I share. I combine my love of country and helping others with my love of writing.

An additional way I combine all of these passions is by featuring work at home parents on my Buy By Mom Blog. I also review their wonderful products. I get to write and they get the benefit of free publicity!

All of these are things I love to do. I am passionate about them. Doing what you are passionate about helps me to keep going even in the face of challenges and challenging times. In fact, when you are passionate about what you do, those challenges can even spur you on to further success...they do for me!

If you are stuck in a job or business that you are not loving but need to help support you and your family here's a suggestion: while you working at that job or business out of necessity, continue to search for something that ignites passion in you. Don't give up on that...it may take a while but with persistence you can find it!

Said Albert Schweitzer: "Success is not they key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful."

Here's to your success!