Great mornings begin the night before: Three things I do to ensure a successful morning

Did I tell you about the time I lost my keys? I tore up my whole house looking for them. I search my purse, the diaper bag, the hook where they were SUPPOSED to be. I searched the bottom of the clothes hamper, the toy chest. Even the toilet because... toddlers. 

Do you know where my keys were? The ignition of my car! 

I would love to blame this on mom brain or a lack of sleep. But really, it was a lack of focus and organization. This is something that plagued me LONG before I ever had children. 

I've had to work to retrain my brain to focus and I have had to work to create a routine that works for me and my busy schedule. 

As both a self-employed entrepreneur and a mom I know the value of creating an organized routine that allows me to get as much work done in as little time as possible. 

That's why creating a good morning routine was paramount for me. As I mentioned before, developing a solid morning routine with a good outline for my day helped me grow my business and TRIPLE my income. 

But I've also learned that a good morning routine starts the night before. 

So here are a few things I do the night before to make a successful morning. In total these tasks only take about 30 minutes and then I'm done. Of course I am not including my nightly kitchen cleaning routine in this list. 

1. Create a top five list

Before I go to bed I grab my notebook and jot down the top five things I need to do the next day. 

It might look something like this:

1. Send invoices

2. Draft blog post

3. Call dentist

4. Register boys for swim class

5. Update email blast list

It's the five things that absolutely have to get done the next day. I only include the things that absolutely HAVE to get done that day. I don't include things I do daily like dishes, meal planning or laundry. 

2. Prep my kids and myself

On the days we have to be somewhere things can get a little crazy. So the night before I go ahead and lay out the clothes we're all going to wear. 

(I actually do this for myself every night. But on days we aren't in a rush I let my kids pick their own clothes. )

For my oldest, who is four, I will lay out all of his clothes, including socks and underwear and he knows when he wakes up to get dressed. 

I also will pack backpacks and diaper bags and make sure any lunches or snacks are already packed and stored in the fridge. 

I will also fill up sippy cups and put out a little breakfast that my kids can grab when they're ready. 

3. Clean my workspace

Something about a cluttered desk completely stresses me out. I am not an overly neat or tidy person (totally jealous of you ladies who are!). But a cluttered desk just makes me want to rip my hair out. 

So when I end the work day I try to clean up my desk. That way when I sit down in the morning there isn't a pile or receipts, bills I already paid, scraps of paper, dust, and toys littering my desk.

When a workspace is clutter free, it is easier to focus in the limited time you have.

Working from home is a blessing but it's still a job and one you have to work at even more diligently to protect your family time and maximize your work time.

So use those evening hours or minutes as effectively as possible. It's really important to develop an evening routine that will support your days.

What about you? What tips to do you have for maximizing your morning? 

How using a block schedule saves my sanity (and allows me to spend time with my kids)

A few weeks ago I got a question from a reader:

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I'm trying to run a small online boutique from home but it's really hard to get things done and care for my two girls age 3 and 20 months. How do you so many things in one day and fit everything into the nap time hours?

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This is a great question. To answer it truthfully, there is a lot I don't fit into the day and I've learned to be okay with that. The great thing about being your own boss is that of something doesn't get done the boss understands. But the bad thing is no one is there to pick up the slack when you need help.

Enter the block schedule. This is the only way work gets completed and make everyone has supper come 6 o'clock.

Many might think of a block schedule as from 8 am to 9 am we do one thing and from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. we do another.  But that's not what I mean.

When I say block schedule I am referring to designating a larger chunk of time to several different activities that can be completed quickly.

This is how it works for me.  My work time is broken into three different blocks: morning, nap (or afternoon) and evening.

Morning time is from 7-9.

While I don't get to work for two solid, uninterrupted hours, I do have things I take care of during this time.

While the boys eat their breakfast, watch PBS and have quiet play time I will answer emails, update social media for my blog and my clients, and make phone calls or set up appointments. I try to avoid the phone as much as possible because I am not a phone person, but this seems to be the best time to return phone calls or call and schedule a dentist appointment.

Then I'm done for a few hours.

Next is nap time 2-4 p.m.

My kids play really hard in the morning and so they are ready for a two hours nap. But I've also implemented rest time. On days they don't nap they still have to stay in their beds and play quietly. As they get older this will hopefully transition into a quiet time outside of their rooms. But I'm training them for a quiet period. 

This is when I have my focused work. I write blog posts, record and edit videos and do any client work that needs to be done. This is when I get the bulk of my business completed. I don't allow myself to get on social media or even check email or answer the phone. This is work time.

Then my boys get up and I am done again until they go to bed.

Evening

After their bedtime I finish anything that didn't get completed during their rest time. I try to keep this time brief so I can still hang out with my husband.

I do find pockets of time to work through the day. For example,  during  outside play time, I will use my notebook and outline a few blog posts. Whole My boys are busy climbing up and down their play house so I might type out a blog post out on the notes function of my phone.

But when my kids want to play the pen or the phone get put down. That's my rule, mom first.

This isn't a perfect schedule and it takes creativity to earn a full time or part time income on a limited amount of hours. But it's doable.

What about you? What scheduling tricks do you use?

Creating a top five to do list: The time management trick that changed the way I run my business

Welcome to Work at Home Wednesday- it's back! Each Wednesday I will focus on a work at home mom related topic. 

You don't have to be a mom to use these tips. 

So for those of you who don't know, I have been working at home for the past four years. I have worked as a marketing consultant for small businesses as well as a blogger and YouTuber. I have many revenue streams that create a patchwork quilt of opportunity. 

While I love working from home and being my own boss, I am a mom first. And without focused effort and attention, I can quickly let work take over my mom time, or get so caught up in other things that I don't get things crossed off my to do. 

To avoid this I have created my top five list. This is simply the top five things that absolutely have to get done during the course of a day. 

I jot this list down the night before with my regular to do list. I just give priority to my must dos. 

Since I am a pen and paper lady I use a notebook, but you could easily use Google calendar or the reminders function on your iPhone and create the same list. 

The list might look like this: 

1. Call client for conference call 

2. Edit video

3. Follow up with sponsor

4. Make eye appointment

5. Order bouncy house for birthday party

I only include the things that absolutely HAVE to get done that day. I don't include things I do daily like dishes, meal planning or laundry. 

If I am making a phone call as part of my top five, I include the phone number on the list. I know how easily distracted I can be, so instead of picking up my phone and looking for a number and seeing text messages I haven't read I go ahead and put the number on the list. 

As a WAHM my time is precious, the amount of work time I have is flex. I might have an hour and a half to do five hours of work. (Not billable hours, of course. That would be HIGHLY unethical.) So by having my list handy I can easily move on from one important take to the next. 

I also include both work and personal things on my list. Some people keep these completely separate, but that's not realistic for me. Because my work includes blogging and YouTube my personal life is often in crossover. 

What about you? What tricks do you use to stay on track? 

How creating a morning routine tripled my business

Can you believe it's already Summer? That means 2019 will be  drawing to a close before you can blink. Some parts of the year have flown by with a flurry that knocked the wind out of me, while other parts seemed to meander on and on with no end in sight. 

I can't help but reflect back on a few years ago.. 2015 was a year has been full of business setbacks for me, I said goodbye to a long-term client who went on to better things in their own businesses. I had some opportunities fall apart right in front of my eyes and I faced some pretty big disappointments. 

But this was also a year of incredible growth. This blog became its own business, with my numbers growing from 4,000 page views a month to over 100,000 page views a month and climbing! I can hardly believe that. 

Because of the growth of this blog I was able to TRIPLE my monthly income. I am not saying that to brag and I am by NO means saying that it's a HUGE some of money, but I am telling you this just to encourage you that you can do this. Whatever your business is, whatever your goal is, even if you're caring for small children in a messy house, you can do this. You too can start and grow a business from home. 

I will share next week HOW I grew my traffic. (No, it wasn't dumb luck or just plopping of blog posts and hoping for the best). But today I wanted to share how building a good morning foundation helped me achieve my goals. 

And no! I am not talking about 4:30 or 5 in the morning (although there were mornings I have done that!) I am talking about just 15-30 minutes before my kids get up.

You can accomplish so much, but you have to maximize that morning time.

1. Complete your biggest task first.

For me it might be writing or outlining a few blog posts, recording and editing a video or emailing a sponsor with details about an underwritten post. Whatever it is, I try to get it finished first. Otherwise I become the queen of Procastinationville. 

If you have to wrap up a client presentation, edit a few more chapters of a book, get inventory ready to ship, whatever the BIGGEST thing on your to do list is- do it first. After you've had your coffee of course.

Why? Two reasons, the biggest thing you have to do is often the most daunting and you're more and more likely to procrastinate, if you're anything like me, and then you will be pushed on your deadline. 

The second reason is because when you start with the biggest and hardest thing and then go from there your day is getting easier as the hours wear on and your kids wake up. Not harder.

2. Don't check your email.

I know this sounds counter-productive. But unless you are waiting on a very specific and important email just don't check it until you've made it through your to do list. 

It's so easy to get distracted if you jump on Gmail really quickly or your hop on Google News to scan the headlines. You can so easily get sucked into the rabbit hole that is the internet that you don't get things done that you set out to accomplish.

I recommend not checking your email until well into the morning or even after lunch. It's just too easy to get sucked in. 

3. Break up the task.

This morning as I am typing this I hear my kids stirring. It isn't time for them to get up yet, but I know they will be up soon. So I won't accomplish everything on my to do list before my focus shifts to them.

So I will break up some things that I can start now and finish later like drafting a blog post, compiling content for a newsletter and outlining tomorrow's YouTube video.

4. Start with a clean work space.

When I end the work day I try to clean up my desk. That way when I sit down in the morning there isn't a pile or receipts, bills I already paid, scraps of paper, dust and toys littering my desk.

When a work space is cleaned, or at least clutter free, it is easier to focus in the limited time you have.

Working from home is a blessing but it's still a job and one you have to work at even more diligently to protect your family time and maximize your work time.

What about you? What tips to do you have for maximizing your morning? 

This post contains affiliate links. 

Where do you find virtual assisting clients???

It's Work at Home Wednesday. That means we discuss all things work at home related. This month I am focusing on virtual assisting since that is how I started my own business, as a VA.

If you want to learn more about what a VA is, click here.

Today we are going to talk about where to find clients. This seems to be the $10 million question.

So I thought I would lay out a few places I have found clients.

1. Face to face.

Just because you will be working virtually doesn't mean you can't meet face to face. Print up some business cards with your name, website and contact information.

If you know someone launching a business ask them who is handling their marketing. If you see a new business opening in the office park next to the supermarket, pop in and see if they need bookkeeping.

If you want to build a client base you have to get used to selling yourself.

Work on your elevator pitch. If you're not familiar with what that means, basically you need to come up with a 15-second presentation on what you do. For example I might say, "Hi, I'm Lydia. I blog about frugal living, but I also create content for websites and social media campaigns. Let's chat."

2. Email a blogger.

Is there a blogger you love and you think you want to work with? Email that person and see if they need an assistant. Tell her or him how qualified you are and what services you offer?

Of course you want to tailor that email to them. Don't just copy and paste something generic. Offer them something authentic.

The worst they can do is say no.

3. Upwork.

I got my first clients through Elance, an online freelance market where online entrepreneurs can find work. Elance has merged with another company to form Upwork. I don't know how Upwork will work, but it can't be a bad place to start.

However, these websites can be extremely competitive so make sure your proposals are thoughtful.

4. Find fellow VAs.

There is no end to the number of VA related Facebook groups out there. I am part of a couple and they have been great in helping me find clients and contacts. On many occasions these VA groups contain members whose businesses have boomed and they are looking to hire and expand.

Also, there are members who meet a potential client that isn't a good fit or they just don't have time for right now and they will refer that client to another member of the group.

Networking is great, so start building those relationships.

What about you? Where do you find client?

How to value your worth when starting a business

It's Work at Home Wednesday, which means it's time to talk about starting and building a business from home.

I feel like one of the hardest parts of starting a business is decidinghow much to charge for your services or products.

Too much or too little?

Some people err on the side of charging too much or too little. Personally I can tell you that it is better to start off with high rates and then lower them. I know first hand how awkward it can be to raise your rates on long-term clients.

Here are some rules I used to establish how much I wanted to charge. I determined the amount I needed to make. Then I divided that number by the amount of hours I wanted to work in a month.

So for example if you want to earn $1,000 a month (or about $231 a week based on a 52 week calendar). If you're only wanting to work about 10 hours a week, then you would charge about $23 - $24 an hour.

Consider your experience.

We talked about this a couple weeks ago, but when you launch a virtual assistant business or a blog you bring whatever experience you have with you.

If you've spent years running marketing for your employer and you want to translate that into your own business, you bring with you a skill set. So don't decide that you have to charge very little just to break into the market. You bring with you a wealth of knowledge so don't let that hold you back.

Don't apologize.

As women we sometimes have this bad habit of asking for things in the form of an apology.

The first time I got a freelance job was way back in 2008. I was writing copy for a small medical equipment sales firm's website.

I was so fortunate to be working with some awesome women who very much wanted to encourage me in my business.

At one point I said "I am going to charge $150 to write this copy, is that okay?"

One of the women stopped the conversation and said "don't ever apologize for charging what you're worth."

It really challenged me to change the way I thought about getting paid.

Don't work for free.

I cannot tell you the number of times I have been approached to work for "exposure." Basically companies will ask me to write copy or run a blog post or make a video for free.

Many of these companies will say "we will share your post on our social media and you will get tons of exposure."

But exposure doesn't pay your bills. And I have found the blogging community to be wonderful and so many bloggers have shared my posts on their social media just because they wanted to, and of course I have done the same with them. So any exposure I've gotten, I feel like I've earned just by producing great content for my readers. 

It might be tempting to work for free to get your foot in the door, but trust me. There are many people who will gladly pay for your quality work.

So what about you? What tips do you have for measuring the value of your work?

5 time managements tips for work at home moms

It's Work at Home Wednesday and today I am answering a question from on of you!

Any tips on time management when working from home? I have a day job but also have a small home business and the time management for the small business gets away from me since there is so much else to do at home! - Sara

Wow, Sara. You sound so busy. But here are 5 tips for setting up time management success.

1. Make a to do list the night before.

I actually make two to do lists, a work list and a home list. I prioritize these lists based on the MOST important things that need to get done the next day.

Doing this the night before and not in the morning really helps me sleep better. Everything is written down, prioritized and ready to go. So I am not lying in bed wondering what needs to be done the next day.

2. Develop a good nighttime routine.

Have things set up for your morning. Have the coffee premade so all you have to do is hit the button your coffee maker. Lay out your clothes and your kid's clothes. Pack lunches, set out the things you will need for your work. Clean your work space and have your kitchen clean.

This really sets the tone for the morning and reduces stress and frees up time.

3. Develop a good morning routine.

Unload your dish washer, throw on a load of laundry and then get to work. A good morning routine sets the tone for the day and reduces stress so you can stay focused.

4. Don't over pack your schedule.

Just this week I had to let a client know I couldn't take on a last minute project. I didn't have time to dedicate to doing it correctly. So don't give into the temptation of taking every job every client offers you. You just can't devote the proper amount of time to everything. 

If you can't devote the time to do it well don't do it all.

5. Set a timer and work.

Don't think about the 8 million other things that need to be done. There is ALWAYS something else that will need to be done and you just don't have the mental bandwidth or physical time to do it all.

Set a timer for 15, 30, 60 minutes, whatever time you have. Then work. Don't think about the unfolded laundry, the cupcakes that need to be baked for the party. Any of it. Try to focus on your work, fully focused. If you're only 1/2 focused on your job and 1/2 focused on your home then 0% will get completed.

What about you? What tips would you offer?

4 things to do before launching your virtual assisting business (when you think you have no experience)

Welcome to Work at Home Wednesday. All October when we are going to be talking about Virtual Assisting.

Today I wanted to discuss four things to do before launching your virtual assisting business. 

1. Gauge your experience. 

This is a question asked on the Frugal Debt Free Life Facebook page, "Do you need any experience to get started?" 

The answer to that question is pretty simple. You probably have all the experience you already need.

If you've ever had a job that will most likely translate into the virtual world. If you're a teacher consider being home school consultant. If you're an accountant consider offering book keeping services for blogs or other businesses across the country. 

It just take a little creativity. 

I got my first VA job way back in 2008 when I was a news reporter. I started writing copy for the websites of various businesses. It would be several years before I launched a business but I was able to take my real world experience and turn it into something. 

2. Be willing to learn

When I first launched my business I knew nothing about HTML and I realized it was pretty important to my business. So I went to the library and I checked out every book they had on the subject and taught myself everything I could. I took free courses, I talked to other VAs. 

3. Be realistic

Take the time to really evaluate your skill set. It would be so easy to look at what another person is doing and decide "I can do that." But it is really easy to get in over your head. 

The last thing you want to do is bite off more than you can chew and end up not getting paid and developing a reputation as unreliable. 

4. Know your value

Don't over charge in the beginning. You're just getting started, so chances are you won't be charing $50 an hour. 

But also don't undercharge. Don't settle for a measly wage or just take any job because you're desperate. And don't work for free. Again, I repeat. Don't work for free. 

What about you? What would you add to the list? 

Before you compare yourself or your business anyone else

Today is  "Work at Home Wednesday." I will be live streaming on Periscope (because that's the only way Periscope works) each Wednesday at 2 p.m. CST. To find me search for @frugaldebtfree

Last week we discussed Avoiding emergencies as a work at home mom. This week we are going to discuss the danger of comparrison. 

I remember the first time I compared my body to someone else's. I was in middle school, and it was the first time I had to change out for gym. I was self conscious of my big hips. As I pulled my PE shirt over my head I immediately pulled it down over my hips as far as it would go. I kept pulling and pulling and pulling. 

I had fallen into the trap of comparison. It was a trap I was stuck in for years. 

Because I felt so different it must mean that there was something wrong with me. The trap of comparison made me feel broken, unworthy, and unimportant. 

And because I felt unworthy I looked for my worth in things. Literally. Things. I filled my life with so much stuff and yet my soul felt empty. I have really had to deal with these feelings. I have had to ask God to release me from them.

I have compared my home to the home's of other women. My children to their kids, my husband to their husbands. I have compared my blog to the blogs of other people. 

Comparison doesn't make you better. It won't make you shine. It will only steal your joy. (Tweet this!)

​Don’t compare yourself and your businesses goals to that of another person. 

It will drive you insane. So if you know another mom whose businesses is running like gangbusters give her a pat on the back and keep chipping away. It’s not a race and it’s not a competition. 

Imagine you are an Olympic swimmer. Does it do you any good to look at anyone else while you are swimming? No. Stay in your lane, look at what’s in front of you and keep moving forward. Don’t get distracted by what is going on the other lanes. If you’re trying to work from home with small children you have enough on your plate without worrying about what everyone else is doing. 

Don't assume someone else has it easier than you. 

Certainly there are people who have different advantages than you do. Just as you might have an advantage over someone else. But trust me, everyone faces the same struggles, obstacles, doubts and fears when launching a business. 

Don't assume someone else has had instant success. 

It may take you several years to start to see a full-time income from a business. The average is five years. And it takes a lot of work. But if you love what you’re doing then the time and energy you put into it will be worth it in the end.

What about you? Do you struggle with comparison? 

5 tips for avoiding emergencies as a work at home mom

Today is  "Work at Home Wednesday." I will be live streaming on Periscope (because that's the only way Periscope works) each Wednesday at 2 p.m. CST. 

Last week we discussed Avoiding emergencies as a work at home mom. So I thought I would share the highlights of that with you? 

I am really loving these Work at Home Wednesday questions. You are all so wonderful and thoughtful in your work and your questions. 

A few weeks ago during my live scope someone asked "Can you talk about dealing with emergencies during your work day?" 

My number one piece of advice is to avoid emergencies at all costs. As both a mom and a business owner your time is precious. Value it. Protect it. 

1. Don't over schedule your day. 

If you have a doctor's appointment and 1,000 errands then today is NOT the day to schedule a conference call or meet with a client. Today is not the day to schedule a dress fitting or a tutoring session or whatever your business is. 

2. Create a little margin in your day. 

This is SOOO much easier said than done and will require a little trial and error to get quite right. But try to create a chunk of your day when nothing is scheduled. Maybe it's before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m. But create a time in your day when you don't have a playdate, or a client Skype call. 

This gives you a chance to play catch up .

3. Set reasonable deadlines. 

If I am asked to draft a launch plan for a clients new book, I am not going to tell a client she can have it in two days. I am going to give myself a week. 

If you know you have a big project, job, or order give yourself MORE time than you will need to complete it. 

4. Have a catchup day. 

Have one day a week that you don't schedule things. For me it is Monday. We usually don't leave our house on Monday.

This is the day to catch up on both home and business things. It's the day the washing machine doesn't stop running and the day I catch up on emails, blog posts, videos and client projects. 

5. Don't procrastinate. 

We create emergencies when we don't prepare. This is SO hard for me. My house is basically procrastination station. I have to work really hard to get into a routine and stay there. 

But when you put off getting things done that's when emergencies arise. 

What about you? What are your tips for preventing emergencies?