Baby boomer stops insanity to smell the roses

Baby-Boomer Stops Insanity to Smell the Roses
 
Personality traits can lead to sabotaging a business
 
If you’ve been following my posts on Facebook and Twitter, you’ll know that I’ve been traveling quite a bit lately to out of town conferences. Having a Type A personality can be a blessing or it can be a curse. In this instance it surely must be a curse, here’s why.

Not being afraid to work hard, put in the hours and overcome the obstacles to building a business I know that over time it will pay off. However, there comes a time when all baby-boomers must stop the insanity to smell the roses. That time came last Thursday as I was packing to leave for a three day conference in Sacramento, California.
 
Not enough time to do it all
 
In this declining economy we, in auto transport find ourselves working longer hours for less income. As entrepreneurs we have become accustomed to the freedom and creativity that comes with the territory. However, that creativity and freedom can bring us down if we don’t manage our time and energy properly. Are you following me here?

Even though I work out of my home office 5 days a week I still think about my business 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Am I the only odd duck here? I don’t think so. Many of my friends are self-employed and work from home offices, too. Like me they are constantly working their business.
 
In our part time businesses we are helping our teams to build theirs. I guess it sort of gets into your blood and takes on a life of its own. It is that very aspect of being an entrepreneur that makes one successful. Left unchecked and unmanaged though, it can be the death of you and me alike.
 
All work and no play recipe for disaster
 
While working is a part of life it is not the whole enchilada. I find it very easy to dive into what I am working on only to forget my family…the very reason I am working to begin with.

Take the passion for your work and add in the pressure of bills that are due, appliances that break down, markets that change overnight and you’ve got instant STRESS! That stress mounts within like a looming mountain rising out of the desert floor.

We have to remember to take time for ourselves and our family. Over the past couple weeks I found myself so involved in work, trying to be everything to everyone everywhere that I almost lost ME…that fiery grandma who laughs all the time even in the face of adversity. That baby-boomer, who is focused, knows where she is going and with whom she wants to go there with almost lost her temper and what was left of her mind with it.

Thinking about what you could take away from this mess I’d made of the last two weeks I found three points to leave you with. You are welcome to take them or leave them, it’s your choice. All I know is this…after leaving the online world for a whole weekend, not answering the phones nor worrying about the bills I came back into the office Monday morning a new woman with a new perspective and renewed energy, endurance and youth to boot.

So, before declining my offer of implementing these three tips…think about how the stress of daily life built within me…what almost happened to me, a strong, focused entrepreneur who almost lost it…
 
Tip # 1 – Keep your priorities straight
  • God first and foremost
  • Family second
  • Your day job
  • Your part time business
Tip # 2 – Make a to-do list and stick to it
  • Don’t allow anyone to interrupt your schedule. Let them know your daily schedule in advance so they can honor your time as you do theirs.
Tip # 3 – Take time for yourself
  • Get plenty of rest, rein in your expectations and know that there is tomorrow…Rome was not built in one day.
I hope these tips are helpful to you. Take your time, use them like I did and your life will be filled with fun, energy, endurance and youth, too.

If you know someone who needs to read this please share. Knowledge is power and action beats inaction every time. See you on the inside.

 

 

 

Carla Gardiner is known as "THE Fiery Grandma" because she found new energy, endurance and youth. Her passion and purpose lies with baby boomer trends, the people she works with daily; aging men, women, moms, dads, grandmas and grandpas who want to feel better, have more energy and have fun like they did when they were twenty-something. Join her for more energy, fun and profits.