POPSUGAR Must Have turns 5 this month. To celebrate the event, they sent me their August Must Have box to review. A few items from that box are featured below. Use code PARTY through August 31, 2017 to receive $10 off your first Must Have box.
Many of you are putting your kids back on the school bus this week after a nice long summer break. This also signals the time when many of us head back to serious work at home after taking a little time to rejuvenate and soak up the sun.
Many of you may be feeling a little panicked. Maybe you feel like you need to “catch up” on opportunities you passed up these past few months. Maybe you feel a little disorganized not knowing where to start.
Today, I’ve put together some of my top tasks for entering the fall season when working from home. It’s time to get back to work and make these next few months count!
Set Your Goals for Quarter 4
When is the last time you journaled your thoughts, ideas and dreams? There’s no better time than now. Grab a pretty notebook and pen and just start writing. Where were you headed when you started your work-at-home journey? Where are you now? What do you want to accomplish in the next few months? What about the next year? What do you need to do to make that happen?
Nothing gets you more motivated and inspired than writing things down. It makes you accountable. I’ll be jotting down my notes in this Free Spirit Journal from Fringe Studios that was in my Must Have box.
Update Your Work-at-Home Resume/Portfolio
Fall is a great time to make sure your resume or website are up to date and contain the most accurate information. Have you moved? Is there new work history that needs to be added? If you are a freelancer, is your service list current?
Identify 3 Things That Aren’t Working
We often hold onto things we should have let gone long ago for no other reason than it’s what we’re already doing or have always done. This could be a subscription we pay for but no longer use. Maybe it’s a client that’s no longer working out but you’re trying to avoid that awkward conversation. Maybe you have an online friend that’s always asking quite a bit more of you than you are of her.
Identify at least three things that are working against your goals and eliminate them.
Set Your Schedule
If you have worked from home for any length of time, you know that working by the seat of your pants just doesn’t fly. Establishing working hours will ensure you are meeting your deadlines and fulfilling the demands of your personal life.
Determine 3 Opportunities to Increase Your Bottom Line
We see a lot of income opportunities come available this time of year, so make sure you are taking advantage of a few.
Companies are hiring at-home customer service reps NOW for the upcoming holiday season. This is a great opportunity to land your first work-at-home job.
We will soon be thinking about holiday shopping. Make sure you are signed up with Ebates to get in on some always appreciated cash back.
If you are a blogger, now is the time to start reaching out to companies about gift guide features.
Set Your Boundaries
If you are taking your kids back to public schools, you may already be feeling a little panicked about what comes next – signup forms, “favors” from the traditional 9-to-5 moms, those why can’t you volunteer for every event when you don’t have a real job anyway looks… Now it the time to set your boundaries. What things will and won’t you do? Then, stick with it!
Freshen Yourself Up
While you are scheduling those haircuts and doctor’s appointments for your kids, don’t leave yourself out. Freshen up those roots. Get one last pedicure before it’s time to put those flip-flops away. You can even do a spa day at home. This is a great time of year to pull out those masks and peels to shed some of that summer sun damage. I’ll be using the 5 in 1 Bouncy Mask by First Aid Beauty that was in my Must Have Box. FAB has some awesome skin care products. I highly recommend their Ultra Hydration Cream if you have really dry skin – even eczema. I always keep this stuff on hand.
Make sure you’re nice and healthy and up-to-date on your medical testing before we head into the holiday season. That’s so not the time to have to worry about that stuff. Get it out of the way now.
And while you’re going through the kids’ closets and refreshing their fashion options for fall, take advantage of those sales for yourself. If you aren’t comfortable shopping for yourself, I totally recommend signing up for a styling service like Stitch Fix. Your personal stylist will pick out items to fit your budget, lifestyle and body type to try on at home. Keep and pay for the items you like. Send the rest back on their dime. Seriously. I have gone from being in tears every time we have to go somewhere nice because I don’t have anything decent to wear to actually looking forward to the opportunity to show off my stylish clothes. It’s a game changer. And, it’s affordable!
Freshen Your Office Up
Again, those no rule that says those fancy new pencils on sale are for kids only. Now is the time to stock up on office supplies at a discount. Even laptops are on sale right now. Save on these necessities whenever you can.
It’s also time to get organized. Clean off your desk. Straighten up those shelves. Make sure things like receipts are together and easy to find come tax time. Pick up some organizational trays for keeping those papers in their place. I’m not much for cocktails, so I’ll be using the Cheers tray from the August Must Have Box to help organize my office.
Identify 3 Real Challenges to Get Yourself Out of Your Comfort Zone
Goals and challenges are two different things. Challenges often help us meet our goals. I love the quote about great things waiting just outside your comfort zone. Because it’s true! You have to push yourself to achieve your dreams. You need to scare yourself a little. You need to attempt the things you think can’t be done. Excuses will always be there for you. Opportunities won’t.
For many of us this time of year, it’s time to hit the networking scene. Everyone is ready to make these last few months of the year count. Seek out meetups in your community. Buy a ticket to that blogging or business conference you’ve been talking yourself out of. You may even see me there!
GIVEAWAY
I’m a total sucker for a good tote bag. I have way more than I should. When traveling or going to an event, however, you need a good bag to hold your notebooks, laptop, business cards. You need a stylish bag to help you feel confident and in control.
I picked out this awesome tote bag from Charlie Page. Enter below for your chance to win.
Note: This giveaway is not sponsored by Charlie Page or POPSUGAR Must Have. I purchased this bag myself from Shoptiques who I learned about through POPSUGAR Must Have. POPSUGAR Must Have is running giveaways all month to celebrate their 5th birthday, however. All current Must Have subscribers are eligible for a chance to win! If you are not already signed up, you can simply sign up before the end of August for a chance to automatically win a *major* surprise each week from following brands:
- Week 1: Limited # of lucky subscribers will win something from Pehr Designs
- Week 2: Limited # of lucky subscribers will win something from First Aid Beauty
- Week 3: Limited # of lucky subscribers will win something from Kendra Scott
- Week 4: Limited # of lucky subscribers subscribers will win something from Tarte cosmetics
- Week 5 (8/31): 5 Grand Prize! Limited # of subscribers something from Cambridge Satchel Co + 1 year Must Have
Don’t forget you can save $10 on your first Must Have box through 8/31/17 with code PARTY.