work from home – Page 3 – Take on Life After 50

Procrastination: My own worst enemy.

Oh my! I’ve been terrible at keeping to my weekly schedule lately, haven’t I?

I could make 100 excuses, but in the end, there really has been no reason to not sit down at my computer for a couple hours and do my blogging. My procrastination has taken over again, which I am kicking myself for now. My apologies!

I’m the first to admit I can find other things to do when I should be staying on task. Probably not something I should be admitting, but only by admitting it can I make the changes I need to.

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In a sense, it’s like anything else. You do not see it being a problem until you admit there’s a problem. After that, you can then take the steps needed to fix it. I suppose it’s along the lines of health issues. If you don’t think you’re overweight you’re not going to change your exercise and eating habits. If you don’t think you drink too much you’re not going to cut back.

What is procrastination?

In a nutshell, it’s putting off until tomorrow what should be done today.

Procrastination affects us all to some degree. Sadly some more than others. And it’s the tasks we like the least that we procrastinate the most. Or, in the case of writers, not knowing what to write about when we sit down at the computer.

Wouldn’t it be easier to just do what needs to be done so we can move on to the next part of our day?

Don’t get me wrong: I love my blogs and I enjoy sharing what I know/do with you. Perhaps it’s the overwhelm I’m feeling right now with the upcoming move, and having to go through a house full of things. It’s amazing how much “stuff” a person collects over the years.

In all honesty, procrastinating with the sorting and packing is also a thing. I have been trying to do something each day; even if it’s just one box or tote. Or one thing out in the yard. And I may have overdone it yesterday, so I’m glad today is a rainy, breezy day. It’s giving me more incentive to sit down and get my blogs done and spend a little more time on a course I’m taking.

How to avoid procrastination.

I honestly don’t think it can be avoided 100 percent, but there are things we can do to make things easier on ourselves.

Start the task and finish it. Chances are the task at hand really isn’t going to take up a lot of time. And if it is, break it up into smaller tasks so there’s some progress made.
Be accountable. It’s easy to piss around and not do what you should be doing if you’re the only one who knows what needs doing. (Pot calling the kettle black here.) Something as simple as a little chart (light bulb moment for a printable) can go a long way to show progress. I need to do this, because sometimes my planner just isn’t enough. And seeing a lot of checkmarks, stars, or coloured in squares is a reward in itself.
Set a timer. The Pomodoro technique does work…if you stick to it. I have used it and have been much more productive than when I don’t.
Delegate if possible. When you’re working for yourself it’s a little more difficult to delegate the tasks. If your budget allows, hire a VA for the little things so you can spend more time on the big things. It’s easy to get caught up in the social media posts, Pinterest pins, and other shiny objects. Let someone else do those while you pay attention to the main project at hand, using the Pomodoro technique if necessary.
Reward yourself. I know this sounds a little childish, but it works. We all need a little positive reinforcement, and something as simple as a new book or spending some time colouring in an adult colouring book (yes, the ones with the f-word) is sometimes all it takes.

Now, as I have been writing my brain has been going 100 miles an hour; so I’ve been making notes (better than starting something new instead of getting this done) of things to do later.

If you’re like me, and I feel you are in some ways (or you wouldn’t be reading this), shiny objects do try to lead you astray. By jotting down those shiny objects you can remember them, but finish the task at hand before you start chasing them.

And yes, I will try hard to practice what I preach. 🙂

That all being said, sometimes we get taken away from our writing/task because something unexpected comes up that needs our attention.

Case in point: As I was writing I had an email pop up from an Etsy customer regarding one of my crochet patterns. Instead of making her wait (and risking a bad review) I responded with demo photos of a stitch she was unclear about. I didn’t have those photos handy, so grabbed a hook and some yarn to show her what I meant. Once they were sent off, I resumed my post.

Thanks to my Etsy customer, I have a photo for this post. The link will take you to the listing, if you’re interested in learning how to make a lingerie/doll clothes bag.

At the end of the day we should procrastinate less, but sometimes things do come up. It’s up to us to decide what should take precedence. For me, it was a 10-minute delay in finishing my post. For my customer, it was quick service and the solution to a problem she was having.

Question: Are you guilty of procrastinating a little…or a lot?

5 Things I’ve Learned from Side Hustling

What you’ll find in this post:

There’s no such thing as getting rich quick.
Don’t have too many baskets.
If something isn’t working, scrap it.
If something isn’t bringing you joy, scrap it.
Put yourself out there.

As the latter part of April is upon us, I can’t help but wonder where the time has gone. I guess it’s true what they say: the older you get, the faster time goes by. Can someone please slow down the clock a little?

My granddaughter will be a month old on Friday, which means it’s over a month since we got back from Mexico. Wait! What? It seems like just yesterday we were sitting in 30+ degree weather, wanting to come home, but at the same time not wanting to.

And a lot has happened in that month as well. We have to move forward, no matter what life throws at us. All I’ll say at the moment in that regard is change is coming: good change for me. But without further ado, onward to the real reason for this post.

Side hustling has been my thing for literally decades, and I have come to a few conclusions over the years. Well, to be truthful, conclusions I’ve come to since I stopped trying to do everything that came along.

There’s NO such thing as getting rich quick. I can recall one of my very first so called “money makers”. I was looking through the newspaper’s classified ads section (yes, a real newspaper – pre-internet time) and saw an ad for stuffing envelopes. Well, that didn’t seem so difficult, so I ordered the package. What I got was a stack of address labels and letters to mail out (at my expense of course). The only person getting rich was the one preying on naive people like myself.
Don’t have too many baskets. The saying goes “don’t put all your eggs in one basket”, but having too many baskets at any one time isn’t good either. You start a side hustle to free up some time, then you start another. Before you know it, your side hustles and job are taking up every waking moment. It’s easy to overextend yourself without realizing it, so be wary. If you have a full time job and more than two side hustles going (especially those that require you to be present), then you’re defeating the purpose of having one in the first place.
If something isn’t working, scrap it. Maybe you’ve had a side hustle or three in the past, or maybe you’re about to embark on your very first one. Whatever the case, it has to produce results in a reasonable amount of time. If you’ve been consistent with your efforts and the monetary return isn’t there, move on. You didn’t start a side hustle to waste time and energy; you started it to improve your financial wellbeing.
If it’s not bringing you joy, scrap it. When you start a side hustle it has to be enjoyable. If it isn’t, then it just becomes another job. For example: you love to write so you start selling your services on Fiverr. After awhile you find yourself praying no one will order your gig, because you’re no longer enjoying it. It’s time to either revamp your gig, or take it down. (Fun fact: I’m both a buyer and seller on Fiverr, and have earned over $1700 on the platform. I have spent about $300, so I’m still ahead of the game.)
Put yourself out there. “If you build it, they will come.” only works in the movies. (Kevin Costner had more impact on me with that movie than I care to admit.) Just because you’ve created a wonderful blog about your hobby, or started an Etsy shop, it doesn’t mean people are going to flock to it as soon as you hit the “publish” button. YOU have to let them know it’s there, whether through paid ads, Pinterest, Facebook, word of mouth, or a combination of them all. (It’s like getting a new phone number and then wondering why no one is calling you. You have to tell the people in your life you changed it.)

Now that you’ve had an “aha” moment or two, or perhaps an “oh shit” moment, it’s time to share my upcoming change.

For those of you who have been reading my blog regularly, you know what life dealt me almost two years ago. After some careful consideration, tears, sleepless nights, and talking it over with my kids, I made the decision to move. I’m selling my place and am buying an acreage a little closer to a neighbouring town.

This is a screenshot from the Realtor listing.

It has everything I want in a home. Big windows on all four sides (all with a wonderful view); an attached double car garage (plus a detached in the back); 4-piece ensuite with a jacuzzi; game room complete with pool table, shuffleboard and wet bar; central vac; central air; fireplace; office; big kitchen; covered deck; big master bedroom; large spare bedroom; 4 (yes, no typos here) bathrooms including the ensuite; skylights; and a landscaped yard complete with trees, perennials, and what appear to be some of my favourite shrubs. The best part of it all…no stairs for these old knees.

I know the move will be bittersweet, because this was our home. The one we were supposed to grow old in together. There’ll be tears as I purge, tears as I pack, and tears as I lock the door for the last time. The land and house are staying in Ross’s family, as his brother will be the new owner. In all honesty, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

For me it’s a step forward. I used to think I would live here forever, but as I said in my last post, it’s just easier to be gone sometimes. No matter what life brings his memory will be with me always, and that’s what I cherish the most. And when my time comes (hopefully I’m around to see my grandbaby have her own baby), I’ll be laid to rest beside him.

If you’ve made it this far, I thank you. I know my posts can get a bit rambly at times, but the main reason I started this blog was to share the ups and downs of being over 50. In all honesty, I do like the format of this post, and I may continue on with it. Side hustle information first, then my ramblings at the end. That way you get what you came for as a side hustler, and I get to share the other aspects of life’s trials and trbulations.

Your Best Posts…All in One Place

Do you find yourself clicking on my posts from weeks ago just to find some side hustle information?

After some searching through a few posts to find out what I have already talked about, I decided there had to be a better way. That’s when it hit me…compile an ebook to make it easier for everyone.

I did just that, which took me the better part of two days. As the content was already written, all I had to do was copy and paste from my post editor. Add in the copyright, disclaimer, table of contents, and some back matter…and done! Each post is in its own chapter, and linked from the TOC. That in itself makes navigation so much easier.

The end result: Side Hustles Anyone Can Do

This is a prime example of how your content can be repurposed. It would have taken me days to write all of that content from scratch. In fact, over the course of when it was written, each post had several hours put into it as is.

If you write articles on your own site pick a dozen or so of the best/most related ones, and compile them into an ebook. By doing so, you’re giving your readers all of your knowledge from those articles in one place. If you have a lot of posts under your belt, consider doing a set of ebooks: Volume 1, volume 2, etc.

Set up a landing page for your new book, and include a payment method. I use PayPal for mine, and use the advanced features so the customer is taken to the download page after purchase. If they choose not to purchase, they are taken to my Tools & Resources page.

My landing page and download page were both done within WordPress. It took some trial and error to get it right, and if I didn’t I do hope someone tells me. (I can’t go through the entire process on my own because my emails are linked to PayPal and it won’t allow me to buy from myself. I can completely understand the logic there.)

Don’t forget to include an About the Author page in the back of your book. This is the perfect place to showcase yourself as a person and writer, plus link to your website and mailing list signup. If your readers like what you write, give them a freebie in exchange for their email address.

You can either sell your new ebook on your site, or publish to online retailers. Be sure to indicate it is previous work republished, as some retailers will not accept content that has been made freely available online.

I have chosen to publish my book only on my site for the time being just to see where it takes me. I’m testing some marketing efforts, and publishing exclusively on my site will give me more accurate data.

Have you considered compiling posts or articles into an ebook? If you’ve done it already, what type of results did you have in terms of sales? Let me know in the comments below.

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