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Couldn't Tweet Today? Don't Beat Yourself Up Over It

Meryl K Evans — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:00:07 +0000

Frustrated because you haven’t blogged in a week or a month? Barely tweeting in Twitter? Haven’t checked out LinkedIn for too long? Missing face time in Facebook? Stop fretting. Social media won’t come crashing down if you get bogged down with work, become ill or take a vacation.

Last week, I barely had any presence in the world of social media. I missed every Twitter chat. I scheduled most of my Twitter replies, with little live interaction. When I needed a thinking break, I read a few blogs without leaving any comments. But I didn’t feel guilty, even though social media is my No. 1 marketing tool.

It took an extreme case for me to learn that panicking about missed social media and blogging time does you no good.

Learning from an Extreme Example: My Thumb Story

I’m a writer. That means I need my hands and all of my digits. Then the unexpected happened: I tore a ligament in my thumb in a tennis match. (The injury details for those wanting it.) I couldn’t type with two hands for several months. Single-handed typing was painfully slow. I tried to speed it up by just using the index finger of my injured hand, but my sick thumb swelled from the movement. I had to stop or type with one hand.

I tried speech-to-text software, but that experiment failed for me. I blogged just a couple of times in four months (as opposed to my usual couple of times per week). At least I could still tweet on a fairly regular basis since I could handle it with one-handed typing. In the meantime, to make matters worse, I couldn’t even read a book.

My injury occurred shortly before the American Thanksgiving holiday and winter break — fortunately, a time when things slow down. But I couldn’t even send holiday cards, something I had been doing for over a decade. By then, my guilt had climbed to enormous levels as I had all this time on my hands and little I could do with it, in either my personal or professional lives.

However, I found that when I could type again and returned to all the activities I had skipped, things fell in place as if I had never left. And following doctor’s orders ensured my thumb healed properly so I could jump back into my routine.

Accept that You’re Human

We’ve all had times when we missed a workout or accidentally skipped a meal. So don’t beat yourself up if you miss out on some social media of blogging time. If Rebecca Blood, one of the earliest bloggers, could stop blogging for seven months and make a comeback, the rest of us can, too. We’re humans, not machines, and sometimes we all need to take a break, whether that’s by choice or not.

It’s OK. The world understands. It’s so busy with information overload that it won’t notice. Not that you’re forgettable, but your connections will be there when you come back. Really. Take care of yourself first.

How do you handle it when you can’t “get things done”?

Image courtesy of stock.xchng user Micky Lynne

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Finding Creative Outlets and Stress Relief

Amber Singleton Riviere — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 17:00:29 +0000

Running a business is stressful, not just occasionally, but every day. There are so many balls to keep in the air at any given point, and at times like these, when holidays have passed and you’re trying to resume the rhythm of a routine, it’s a good time to figure out ways to incorporate downtime and breaks into your days.

As enjoyable as the holiday season can be, it’s also a hectic time filled with demands that can exceed even your busiest days at work. On top of that, it can be hard to let go of work, and there’s often a little nagging voice reminding you of what will be waiting for you on your return. When the first weeks of the new year arrive, it’s easy to feel jet lagged and sleep deprived, wishing that you had time for a vacation from the vacation!

It’s a lot easier to realize the need for downtime and rest during times like these, but it’s just as important to routinely get time away from work and daily stresses well after putting away the Christmas ornaments.

A creative outlet or some form of physical activity can be just the remedy for stress-filled days, so why not take the time to plan for some fun activities away from the office?

Get a Hobby

There are so many ways to blow off steam. It can be as simple as a daily walk, but you might also enjoy:

Joining an acting, photography or painting class at a local college.
Baking or cooking something special each day.
Gardening or visiting nature centers in your area.
Dancing or taking a dance class.
Exercising or bike-riding.
Swimming, rowing or simply being near water.
Reading or starting/joining a book club.
Hiking, jogging or preparing for a marathon.
Sewing, crocheting, pottery-making or painting.
Spending time outdoors or with your pets.

The options are truly endless, but the important thing is making sure to reserve time for it every single day, so be sure to find something that’s accessible and convenient so that you’ll actually commit to it and make it part of your routine.

Schedule It In

The New Year is here, and it’s the perfect time to set your intentions and make room for those things that are most important to you, and taking time for yourself to unwind and take your mind off work should be at the top of your list. If you’re not taking care of yourself, you’re not operating at your best, which can actually take away from the attention you provide your life and business.

Reserve time now for yourself and activities that will rejuvenate you and help you bring the highest level of energy and clarity to your business.

How do you unwind and decompress from the stresses that can come with running a business?

Image from Flickr by lepiaf.geo

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Web Worker Rx: Take a Mental Health Day

Amber Singleton Riviere — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 14:00:57 +0000

I don’t really like the phrase, “mental health day,” but the idea behind it is very important and relevant to every web worker. We all need time away from our work and businesses. Time to collect our thoughts, get some breathing room, and get away from the computer screen.

It may not seem important, but taking time away from our work has just as big an impact on our productivity as putting in a full day. It’s not just about the quantity of hours we devote to our jobs, but the quality. How much of the time that we’re spending on our work is going to be effective and productive if we never take time to get away from it?

We all need time off, so it’s important to make a conscious choice to include it in our to-do lists and schedules. But what do you do on “mental health days,” anyway? The main thing to remember is that your time away from your business needs to be restorative. It needs to help energize you and inspire you. It shouldn’t be filled with tasks that are as taxing and monotonous as work.

Here are a few ideas to help you improve your use of time off.

It Has to Be 100 Percent Work-free.

Free time has to be just that, free. Don’t spend your time on work-related tasks, even those that don’t really seem like work (thinking of the direction you want to take with your business, blogging, writing, reading blogs, etc.). No, this time should be spent on things that are the complete opposite of work. Avoid the office and computer altogether, so that there’s no temptation to do “just one little thing” that turns into several hours.

Fill the Day With Physical Activity.

Exercise and other physically demanding tasks are a good way to use free time. This type of activity gets your mind off all your regular demands, builds up your energy levels, and reduces your stress. Bike, hike, walk, dance or play a sport. It doesn’t matter what you choose. Just make sure it involves a lot of movement.

Plan Your Day Around a Meal.

Cook a meal from scratch. Bake cookies or desserts all afternoon with your kids, nieces and nephews, or a good friend. Cooking can be very therapeutic and relaxing. It takes all your attention and distracts you from workaday life.

Spend the Time With Friends and Family.

Web workers can feel particularly isolated at times, so it’s important to intentionally plan time for a social life. Go out for coffee with a friend (or better yet, invite them over for coffee and save some money). Go for a walk at a local park or recreation area. Throw a potluck and invite several friends or family members who you rarely get to see. Even just making time to call a relative can make you feel connected.

Your time away from work should be about having fun, relaxing and generating the energy you need to tackle your days. It’s not a guilty pleasure, but a necessity for staying productive and fully engaged in your business.

How do you spend your “mental health days”? Share your ideas for staying motivated and energized by taking time off.

Image from Flickr by epSos.de

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Open Thread: What Are Your Holiday Break Plans?

Anne Zelenka — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 14:01:05 +0000

Gone are the days when we were in school and got two or more weeks off at holiday time to celebrate and recuperate. Some companies shut down for an entire week or more around Christmas — and their employees probably feel pretty lucky. If you’re a freelancer or an entrepreneur or just really busy at your job, you may not be able to take off more than a day or two.

But everyone needs some downtime and a chance to reconnect with family and friends. Taking at least a couple days off at the end of the year can help you feel refreshed and ready for the next one.

What are your plans for taking time off over the holidays? And what are you going to do with that downtime?

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