The hazzards of working at home...

I have been working at home for over 10 years now. The decision to do this based solely on one year of starting my own little business was pretty scary. I had been listening to some self help tapes (okay - Tony Robbins) and I was totally motivated. I was beating my income earnings at work and while I would be losing money, I felt I would have more time to work SO I would make more income eventually.

Wouldn't you know it... a few months after I started working exclusively on my art at home, the market on eBay got flooded with new artists. Wonderful! Other artists were aware of eBay and collectors were spreading the wealth. I got nervous.

Around the time I left my "day job" to work at home I learned about doll art. This, I felt, was something I could sink my teeth into. With a little trial and error I eventually found my perfect niche. It didn't take me long to recover and before I knew it I had a thriving business. To top it all of, I was doing something I absolutely loved. What could be better?

The flip side of all this is that I was working from home and I fell into every pitfall you can: I overbought supplies; I worked too much; I never left the house; I became stressed; my house got messy; I gained weight; and worst of all... I burned out.

When working at home you have to learn to overcome these things or get your butt back to your day job. I knew this was what I loved so I just kept plugging along.

1. The first thing you do is plan! When you have a "day job" you are on a schedule. You have a plan. If you schedule out your day and plan things, it is truly amazing what you can achieve.

2. Take your weekends off. I will often work until midnight on the week days if I need to just to have the weekend off. Generally people get a few days off... it doesn't have to be specifically Saturday and Sunday but you need at least a day or two to unwind. If you can get out of the house... even better. Remember, you are there all day long. You don't want to smell the burn out.

3. Plan your meals or buy healthy snacks. I literally get up in the morning, make coffee and come straight into my office to answer emails. I am already at work. This is freaking awesome because I can wear anything, however, it is hard to tell if you are gaining weight when your stretchy, comfy clothes keep stretching. I do not advocate wearing anything less than comfortable BUT I do recommend planning your meals and fitting in some exercise. Promise you will not regret it. If you don't have clothes that you have to fit into for work AND you don't have anyone really watching you, things could get out of hand. This is something I have failed at time and again because when you are busy you just grab whatever. But I have started walking in the mornings and this week I am planning those meals. Girl wants smaller comfy clothes!

4. I used to give myself a day to clean. I have since taken that away because I have a weird habit of needing to be alone to clean and currently my daughter and her family are living here. So, I don't do my typical cleaning day... I do what I can. When I have my days alone I like to have a day designated to cleaning. This can be one of your weekend days.

5. Have a designated working space. It is impossible to get anything done when you are constantly taking things out and having to put them away. Find a space in your house and set it up.

6. Watch out for wasting time (for instance, blogging when you need to be working). The internet is a time stealer. Especially Facebook! I watched a little video on procrastination that suggested you turn your sound off on your computer when working... otherwise you will be constantly checking your emails and Facebook messages, etc... Turn it off and turn on some music (or whatever you like to listen to).

7. Make sure you are doing something you love and always always challenge yourself.

8. Watch out for distractions! It is so easy to get distracted, especially when you aren't "feeling it" that day. Listen, everyone needs a mental health day here and there but be careful of those. Don't work to "just get by". That is a recipe for disaster. You can still be there for your family and friends in your designated free times but when at work stay on task.

9. Challenge yourself, yes... but stay focused on what you are good at. I love art... and often I will go off and start doing something that is not usual work. That means it is untried and if it is unsuccessful, well I just don't get paid that week. So do your work first and then experiment with new things.

10. Don't take on too many jobs and become overwhelmed. This can cause instant shutdown.

11. Make a budget. This is crucial.

12. Finally, (and I am sure I am forgetting a dozen other things) just have fun! Yes, work hard too!

P.S.

Love this guy's work! So inspiring! XOXO

http://kenkeirns.blogspot.com/2011/06/monkey-in-middle-online-now.html

Sigh....

Wrote an entire morning post and somehow lost the entire thing. All I basically said was I went for a nice walk this morning and this is what I created! Gotta go paint now. Life is good.

Follow your bliss!!!

Being human...

After my last post I wondered if I didn't make a mistake in airing my dirty laundry. Could it effect how people really feel about me? Could it effect how people feel about my art? My business practices?

I was pondering all of this as I was painting today. And as I was enjoying the way the colors blended together and how my doll was coming to life I realized that I am able to create this and all of my art because of how deeply I feel. Writing that down truly freed me in ways I didn't realize until now.

I feel like a new person. I am off the Prilosec as of today and I feel great. I feel amazing actually. I am caught up on all of my shipping. I have only 8 commissions in the house. And I am feeling my way through a beautiful repaint that I will share later.

Having purged myself of those feelings in writing has me going through my old doll items and purging myself of those things too. I know I can let them go and allow new things to flow to me. I am thinking about what doll I want to paint next. I know that I am on the right track!

I had a long talk this morning with my sister and we came to a realization that we are very strong people. That we have risen above and overcome more obstacles that can be imagined. I mentioned before that I felt like I had failed on every level. I know a lot of people feel that way, especially in the situation of a broken marriage. I want to say that it is okay to feel this way. But it has to be released as well. We are so very hard on ourselves... we tend to look away from all the good that we have done and only focus on the bad.

Today just think about a couple of things that you have personally done that you are proud of. That is what I am going to do. I will not be controlled by things that were often out of my control anyway. And whatever was my "fault" is me just being human. I have made mistakes but I have done some wonderful things too. And so have you.

Love Love Love! LL

Creativity and stress.....

When I was married I didn't worry about the money that came into the house, how the bills were paid or anything of the sort. Budgeting, balancing, etc... were not my concern. My husband took care of it all. He told me when I had money and when I couldn't spend much. This went on for our entire marriage (over 20 years).

At one point my husband didn't have a job and I was supporting the family. Things were a little tighter but he always managed to make sure we had enough. There was always plenty to pay our bills and buy food. I NEVER worried.

My husband and I separated approximately four years ago. We are now divorced. I am in a personal financial crisis that I don't like to think about. I never learned how to manage my money and I am still struggling with it. I have gone through so many changes over the past four years it is unreal. I had to file bankruptcy. I lost my car.

Of course, the timing couldn't be better with the economy tanking. The stress is like a noose around my neck, choking me, crippling me from doing what I love - creating art. I am even furious with myself that I am in this position. I feel stupid. I know I am not a stupid person. I know I am fully capable! Honestly, I can't believe a strong, capable person like myself is in this position at all.

I have feelings of shame. I have let myself and my daughter down. I have failed. And to top it off I discovered that my little pill that made my tummy not hurt, Prilosec, can cause depression among other serious side effects.

So here I sit this morning pushing back the fear. Trying to come to terms with what I have created. I know I can only do what I can do today. I am happy in my personal life. I have so much to be thankful for. Friends, loved ones, family... and I am still working at home despite it all.

How do I move forward and paint beautiful things when my mind is so muddled? How do I overcome this? I don't really have the answers yet. Day by day... even hour by hour. I am weaning myself from the Prilosec. It is a start. Meditation... a good night's sleep... praying.

I am writing this to basically get it out. I want to release this feeling and be free of it. Also to tell whoever is reading this, if you are in a situation where you don't pay attention to your money that you need to start today. Everyone should know how. Money is not an evil thing! It is a good thing that allows us so many other things. My mind is a creative mind. I don't like to be bogged down with this stuff (I am even resistant) but I am learning and I hope what happened to me is a message to someone else out there.

I am making a promise to myself today that I will let myself off the hook. My inner dialogue is very cruel. I wouldn't say the things I say to myself to another human being. I would never be so mean. I encourage anyone who is reading to stop whatever mean thoughts you have about yourself right now. I had a long talk with my sister about it last night. I am done with this self-loathing. I am very prideful I have been told. It isn't a bad thing but it can lock you up in your own scary little world. Pride is good but not when it stops you from asking for help or makes you lie to yourself about what is really going on.

Now the decision to post this. It is so easy to pretend your life is just perfect but I know I am not alone here. And maybe my ramblings will help someone else. Maybe I will hear back from some of you and the messages will be something I needed to hear.

This is not a story of despair but rather of hope. Hope that I will personally overcome this. That I will amaze myself. I am not an unhappy person. I have moments where I am freaking out but for the most part I very happy. I laugh every day. I do have some inner demons to overcome but the sun is always shining and my glass is forever half full. There is so much for me to be thankful about.

So on that note I feel better. I am off to get some promised dolls in the mail today and hopefully create a pretty little doll that will make someone very happy.

Hugs and love to all! LL

My Etsy Store

I have some stuff in my little Etsy store as well as on eBay! AND on Zazzle... Come by and visit my Etsy store. I love ETSY!

http://www.etsy.com/people/LaurieLeighArt?ref=si_pr

I have four original works of art in there and a repainted doll as well as some prints.

XOXO LL

A little more information on Prilosec...

or any proton pump inhibitors. Thought it would be helpful to those who have been taking it like me.
 http://www.naturalnews.com/032194_antacids_magnesium.html

http://www.real-depression-help.com/magnesium-for-depression.html

These are both very interesting to read and a bit frightening too. I picked up a book on natural remedies in place of the PPI pills.I have read about half of it. Very hard to self diagnose. I could have a Candida Yeast overgrowth. I could have H. Pylori.... who knows. It effects thousands of us each year.

My magnesium arrived yesterday... I took that along with my other vitamins (B12, Vitamin D, Women's One a Day, and others....) and I felt SO much better. I had a lot of energy last night. I was running around my house cleaning and picking up before bed and I slept great. I have not stopped taking the Prilosec as of this day. When I get the natural remedies figured out I will see what happens there. Crossing my fingers. I can't believe I have been on the crap for 5 years!

Today I plan on getting everything shipped out so I am off to do that. XOXO LL