Do It Myself Blog – Glenda Watson Hyatt

2011 was amazing!

I had record year for travelling: Honolulu, Austin and San Diego with an unscheduled quick sleepover in  Phoenix, Mississauga, Portland and Los Angeles. My travel agent even suggested that it now might be worthwhile to get an air miles card.

I had the opportunity to present at South-by-Southwest (SXSW), the 26th Annual International Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference (CSUN 2010) and Successful Online Business Conference (SOBCon);

I had the pleasure of meeting new friends and happily reconnecting with old ones.

However, all of this – and more – has left me feeling tired for several months; more than “go have a nap” tired, more like “too tired to fight any more” tired. This may partially explain my four colds in the last four months. (Although coughing for 2-3 weeks per month has done wonders for my abdominal muscles!)

Changes are definitely needed to get my health back, to create some balance, and to feel like a million bucks again.

For the next while, at least, I am committing to a four-hour work day without any crazy deadlines (no matter how urgent clients claim it is). This isn’t as drastic as Tim Ferris’ 4-Hour Workweek. (Is that even possible? Seriously?)

In preparation for keeping me focused and on task, I have created two columns with the question “Am I Doing What I Should Be Doing Now?”. In the “Yes” column, I have listed:

• Client work
• Writing blog posts or other content
• Research
• Webinars
• Relevant Tweet chats
• Marketing activities (if I must)
• Paying bills
• Filing papers
• Bookkeeping
• Packaging books
• Work-related email

In the “No” column:

• Twitter, other than to share posts and other “just can’t wait!” tweets
• Facebook
• Housework
• Personal email
• Google+ without a real purpose

My plan is to work from 10 (realistically) until 2. By focusing on work tasks for four hours, without interruptions, I am hoping that I will be as equally productive as sitting here all day.

I will break for lunch when my stomach tells me it is lunchtime – typically around 2:30. I will hang out with friends and family on Twitter, Facebook and email while eating lunch.

After a reasonable amount of time at the virtual water cooler, I plan on doing something radical: turning off my computer! …and going to do something else. It might be:

• Doing scheduled housework
• Decluttering a specific nook or cranny
• Trying something new in the kitchen (Did I just say that? Publicly? Oops.)
• Napping with my kitty
• Reading a book
• Going out
• Exercising
• Connecting with local friends
• Anything that isn’t on the computer

I might turn on my computer again later in the day; my second book is begging to be written. Or, I might be content doing whatever I am doing and leave it off until the next day.

Sounds like a plan for restoring my health and balance in my life, right?

Feel free to hold me to the “Yes” and “No” lists to help me stay focused and on task. Once I have given this a fair try, I will report on whether a four-hour work day can be as equally productive an all-day shift.

Meanwhile, I would like to wish you health – physical, spiritual, emotional, mental and financial – and hope – hope that tomorrow will be better, or, if today was great, hope that tomorrow is equally as great – for 2012.

Happy New Year to you!