Weekend Writing.....NOT!

I meant to do some writing this weekend.  Really, I did. I even wrote down my plans so I would have a list to stick to. Then, somehow, life intervened and I came back to the office today with the same list I left with on Friday. This isn't the first time this has happened.  In fact, it's a fairly regular occurrence.

It's not that I lack discipline.  Actually, that's exactly what it is.

My husband and I decided that I'll work at home on the weekends instead of coming into the office since we have the space now. The idea is that I'll have more time for family since I'll be around more, and with the 18-year-old's room transitioned back to home office space, I'll have a quiet place to work. The logic is impeccable, except for one small thing.

I don't want to work at home. It's not that there are too many distractions (even though there are), but that at home there are many other things I'd rather be doing. My six-year-old is there and wants constant attention and, having just experienced a son leaving home, I know how quickly the time flies.  Work can wait for another day.  This moment with the little one will be gone forever.

Don't forget my husband. Men are wonderful and fascinating fully grown versions of little boys. "Are you busy?" really means, "I know you're busy, but I just need your attention for a few minutes...just long enough to pull you off task completely and force you to lose another 15 minutes to get yourself focused again." One of my favorite spousal interruption ploys is the ever handy, "Are you hungry?" Don't be confused.  That doesn't mean, "Are you hungry?  Can I fix you something so you can keep working without interruption?"  No, it means, "I'm hungry, and I was wondering how long I have to wait until you take a break from earning a living so you can fix me something to eat."

If, by some miracle, both the child and the husband are quietly occupied, there are phone calls, baseball games to watch, books to finish reading, clothes that need mending, letters to write, mail to open, clean up tasks that need attention........this is an unending list.

I have read time management books.  I have talked to time management gurus. Still, I end up in the same place.

Interestingly, when I started my business, I was working from home. The problem I had then was working too much.  I found that I was never off duty when I was working at home.  Getting an office outside the home meant that home could be my refuge from work. Transitioning back to working at home again, even just on the weekends, is a challenge.

I'm going to try the same strategy I'm using with my 6-year-old to help teach him some discipline and responsibility.  I'm going to make a little chart with spaces for each weekend day, and then I can give myself a star for each day I work at home like I plan to.  After I get a certain number of stars, I'll get a reward...something that I really, really want.

My reward?  Not to have to work at home on the weekends.

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