Yesterday on a Google Hangout, I led a discussion on the topic of trying to find enough time to do it all. I state how I’ve found it much more difficult to keep up with everything these days as I’m leading a plane-hopping life where only one of the 3 airports I deal with has free wi-fi, which means there’s an extra 4 hours of time I lose.
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In the past I’ve been able to write content in advance, and in the case of this blog, I’d actually written some posts in advance. But it caught up with me, and thus here and on my other blogs I’m not keeping up as easily, though I’m learning a few things based on that.
One, I find myself having to pick and choose what’s most important. Therefore, this blog stays up to date moreso than the others. I also comment less, though I save a lot of links in my Evernote program so I can get to those I really have something to say on later. That’s actually a very helpful program because I have it synched with my main computer, laptop, smartphone and now my Nook; oh yeah!
I’ve found that it’s not just my social media or blogging life that’s suffered. Unlike when I’m at home, where often on Sundays I prepare meals I’m going to eat off for the week, I’m in a hotel room with two small burners and a small pot and small skillet. Those aren’t great accoutrements for cooking big meals. So I have to plan them, which means I eat out a lot. I try to find time to workout, time to do laundry, time to get to the grocery store, etc. Work is the only thing I’m always able to find time for; I guess that’s the important one.
As you’ll see in the video below, we discussed this and some options were offered, though to tell you the truth one of the options I already do, and the other options won’t help for everything. Still, it was entertaining, especially with our guest for the day; I hope you enjoy it.
http://youtu.be/lK6vqxckmdI
I wish I have participated in this hangout. I must admit that my work/life balance is perfect even I work from home, well this might be the problem actually, as soon as I’ve stepped in my shoes, I always try to do my best for customers as working on my own rely very much on good reputation and understanding, though I don’t usually take weekends for relaxing, I still find a time to spend with my family, however I think without my wife, I will be totally lost.
Carl, I have to teach you how to breathe in your writing when it comes to those long sentences. lol Actually, I thought you told me a long time ago that you got little sleep; that won’t be good long term, and you’re talking to someone who knows and still knows. However, for this topic I wish there were 30 hours in a day but we still only had to work 8 when working for someone else and got in our free time and our “play” time online as well.
I recently found out that my sentences are going too long, additionally I am making a lot of mistakes. I will keep this tip. Yeah, you are right, I think most people that working on their own want to have 30 hours in a day. Until the middle of the week is fine, but Thursday and especially Friday are very heavy when you have a little sleep.
Hey Mitch,
First of all, every time I visit one of your post, I learn something valuable and worth sharing ideas and information. For that, I would like to thank you for sharing vital information through your post. Anyway, with regards with your post today, I can say that there are just certain times where we can’t do it all. What’s important is to know what to prioritize first. Planning could be a good thing to do to maximize our time in doing a productive work.
Thanks for your kind words Farrell. I learned again the other day, as I had problems with flights, hotel rooms and other things, that indeed when life starts to get in the way you can’t get it all done. But it’s sometimes fun to try. 😉
That’s pretty tough. You always need time to relax otherwise things can just get too stressful. Of course, even if you can find down time, it can just mean more to do later, so it’s a hard balance to find.
It’s definitely a hard balance to find as I’m kind of going through it right now. Still, I think it’s more important to figure out what you can do and not feel guilty because you can’t do it all. I’m working on that one.
Comprehensive piece of content, I must say. As for me, having the time to do it all is close to impossible, if not totally. I guess one should just analyze on which to prioritize and make time for those stuff that really needs your time and energy.
Learned something here, Mitch. 🙂
I do my best Riza; btw, I will keep deleting that last line of yours because it has nothing to do with the topic or comment but I’d really appreciate it if you left it out. As to the rest you’re right, prioritization is key in getting completed what’s most important.
Finding time to do evverything you need is an art nowdays. And Evernote is really great!
Evernote is pretty good, but it doesn’t help me with time management as much as it helps me remember things.
I know exactly how you feel Mitch, which is why I’m going to watch your video at a later date.
As you know I’ve cut my commenting by heaps and the blog that gets most of my attention is Wassupblog. It sort of makes you wish there was more hours in the day but as we know that isn’t going to happen.
True Sire, and you did give up commenting because you have so many other things going on, as I do. Yet I still get my comments in when I can, making sure I at least get to the people who are really important to me, like your blog.
Which is why you see me visiting your blog. How privileged are you to have me grace your blog as often as I do 🙂
Don’t I know me! lol
Honestly Mitch, I admire the heck out of you.
Anyone who works a full-time job, even if you’re a consultant, and then have an online business (you have more then this one blog too), plus have a family, yikes!!!
Finding time to do everything online that you do I find that impressive. I know what Sheryl is talking about automating your tweets and I definitely recommend doing that as well. I do because I want to spread them out yet make sure they’re going to be seen. You can’t automate everything though.
So sounds like she’s calling you out about that laptop but that’s something I would have not guessed either. I would have thought it was the connection so there.
Hang in there Mitch and hope this recent consulting job is taking you to the right place. 😉
~Adrienne
Adrienne, she tried to call me out, but she doesn’t get it. I’m writing this from the hotel now, and every time I hit “reply” it takes at least 20 seconds before my response goes through; that doesn’t happen at home. Everything moves slower; that’s hard to get used to.
Still, I try to get done what I can, especially on weekends, and I know that one day I’ll be done with my consulting gig and have my speed back once more. Then see how I produce things. 😉
I’m not surprised you are rushed off your feet Mitch, with the amount of great content you produce, along a family and a travel schedule such as yours. My friend with three children, she had to cut down the days she works full time, because she couldn’t cope with her work/family life routine. I’ll have to look into the Evernote program; I have a lot of bookmarks to my favourite blogs, but no matter how I try and keep on top of it, my bookmark list always grows out of control. Take care Mitch.
Thanks Richard. In a way I’ve just been forced to add Dropbox as well, though I’ve yet to have the opportunity to see what it can actually do. I’m glad to have even a little bit of discipline to get done what I do.
Hi Mitch – I just wanted to tell you I enjoyed your post it really struck home – I struggle to manage my home life and business time wise and I don’t have anywhere near your commitments in terms of family and traveling. I find it’s easy to procrastinate when those roadblocks keep getting in my way – I’ve really got to climb over them. I wish I’d seen the conversation on Google hangouts too, I haven’t really explored that much yet, maybe I need to step back and evaluate my priorities.
Thanks for your words Rosemary, and I would bet that most people feel this type of thing at least at some point in their lives. Still, it always seems much easier to deal with when I’m at home than now, but I’ll push through. Evaluating priorities is always good; I wish you well with it.
I’m a freelancer and though I work at home I still see to it that I balance my time in work and recreation. Being a freelancer doesn’t mean that I have all the time in the world to spend. I also got lots of tasks to do and my weekdays are spent into it. So during weekdays, I take my off and spend quality time with my family.
Luckily it’s just my wife and I, but I need more time for other stuff sometimes.
I was thinking about what you said about 2 out of three of your airports not having wifi. If you have a smart phone, you can set up a mobil wifi hotspot. It is generally called Tethering. It would get the internet through your phone and your laptop can connect to it using wifi. The only problems with this is that you need to get a good internet plan from your service provider and it takes a lot of power from your phone so you would need to plug it in. Also, apple does not allow Iphones to get Tethering.
Trenton, I thought about that, but my wife and I barely seem to stay under our data plan as it is so it scares me to even think about doing that, though I know I could. If I got desperate I’d do it in a heartbeat.