I Need a Plan!
@RebeccaScarlett (2532)
Canada
January 6, 2011 9:22pm CST
There are not enough hours in a day.
I have a 7 month old baby that obviously needs to be fed, played with, diaper changed, etc.
There are endless dishes and laundry to wash.
There is junk that desperately needs to be organized and posted on freecycle.
My financial situation is such that both my husband and I work online all day long (and he looks for RL jobs) to try (and not quite succeed) to make ends meet.
SO:
I have to write at least one article a day for Demand Studios, several for Helium (I'm also a Channel Manager there, which takes more time) and I try to contribute to Triond, Factiodz, and Wikinut to slowly build up my residuals.
I somehow ended up a member of about 20PTCs, and I'm so close to payout on most of them that I can't quit now. I've invested in a couple so managing the rented refs and making sure I'm still making a profit takes time.
I'm also trying to finish a novel and get a children's story published, but that keeps getting put on the back burner because my online writing makes money now.
I need some sort of plan, strategy, organization, before I go crazy! I need a routine, and I'm having a hard time cramming everything in and sticking to the plans I do make!
As soon as I cashout half of those PTCs are going out the window, that's for sure.
Do you have a schedule that sets out your day in detail if you work from home? Do you shut yourself away free of distractions to get everything done?
Do you think it's better to have a rigid routine or a flexible schedule? And how do you cope when life gets busy?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@yogeshdhusa (2236)
• India
7 Jan 11
Hi Rebecca, i feel you are the best person who can make a plan.I will just highlight points. 1. baby need to be fed after every 2 hr. 2. playing- when the baby is awake.
3. change your schedule if you baby doesn't sleep at night because you and your baby's sleep timing should be same. as you also need time to rest.
4. baby's playing time can be use doing house work and computer work.
5. waking up early and sleeping early will really help.
Hope this help.
Very organized!
@RebeccaScarlett (2532)
• Canada
17 Jan 11
Haha, yes, the organization could hardly come from her father LOL!
I know I'm lucky she's so dependable. And with my husband unemployed right now he plays with her a lot while I get chores and writing done, and I play with her so he can get some done, so although money's tight, we're starting to work out a routine!
@RebeccaScarlett (2532)
• Canada
7 Jan 11
My baby has a great sleeping and eating schedule. She sleeps from 11pm to 9am straight through every night. She eats at 10,2,6, and 10 every day, with a variation of no more than half an hour on meal times. But when she is playing, she wants a person to play with her every minute. She is only content with her toys for a few minutes before she gets bored. I think part of it is that she is learning to crawl, but she can't quite move forwards yet, and so she gets frustrated.
I want to make a routine for my projects; like house chores at the same time every day, writing at the same time every day, etc. I work much better when I am more organized, so I need to sit down and make a detailed schedule.
Thanks for your advice.
@fineartist (1217)
• United States
7 Jan 11
Living with a young baby is difficult. Their needs are great and very time-consuming. Do you have family who could care for your baby for a few hours per week?
It sounds as though you may be involved in too many projects. What do you think?
Making money online, as you are doing may be too time-consuming. And perhaps these projects don't bring in enough money?
Think about this. :)
Perhaps you can get a part-time job outside of your house?
Good luck to you.
@RebeccaScarlett (2532)
• Canada
7 Jan 11
Right now, a part-time job would cancel the money I am making for maternity benefits. Online money is under the table so I can get extra without losing the 1000/month maternity benefits. A part-time job would result in working for less money than I currently get staying at home. When the benefits run out in April I will be going back to work full-time while hubby stays home.
I am involved in too many projects; but unfortunately that's what I have to do: right now we are $650 short to pay expenses every month, and that is with no cable, and spending less than $30/week on food.
Thanks for your advice.
1 person likes this
@fineartist (1217)
• United States
7 Jan 11
Oh, I see.
I had no idea that you are receiving maternity benefits.
I am so sorry to hear of your financial problems.
Stay strong!
Best wishes for the future.
@RebeccaScarlett (2532)
• Canada
17 Jan 11
Thanks! We are doing the best we can, and I keep in mind that there are people worse off than we are. Really, I'm lucky that I have a healthy happy baby!
1 person likes this
@kingparker (9673)
• United States
7 Jan 11
Gosh, you tell me about it. I am a bit luckier than you, because I don't have a baby to look after. I have a full time job work at the morning, 8 hours a day. After work, I work for online, but not that much on writing sites though. I contributed more of my precious time on social networking sites, because the money is easier and the time is workable for me. I hope that you can come up a nice plan so you can keep up all these websites. Good Luck!
@RebeccaScarlett (2532)
• Canada
8 Jan 11
My full time job is lifeguarding, teaching swimming lessons/first aid/lifeguard training and teaching aqua fitness classes. Due to some ridiculous complications with my c section, I still have a hole in me and my baby is 7 months old! I cannot go back to my job until I no longer have an open wound, hence the frantic attempts to earn a living online!
@shattered (1728)
• Philippines
17 Jan 11
Well I have full time day job so I just do online stuff when the load is light and I have no deadline. I'm trying to make a schedule for myself as well.
From an earlier discussion It appears that your baby is very organized, just like you are, so I guess you could use your baby's schedule to mirror yours.
When the baby's sleeping would be a good time to work online, after feeding the baby and the baby's playing would be a good time to do your chores where the baby is always within your sight and the noise is low so you can hear the baby's noises. When your chores are done you could play with the baby when she's awake or do your online projects when the baby is playing by herself.
Whatever you do keep you baby away from the television!
@shattered (1728)
• Philippines
18 Jan 11
Yeah cable would only make it worse!
Its good that your baby has learned to appreciate books, maybe I should begin reading my son books as well. Interacting with our children is really a good way to bond.
You said earlier that you are beginning to form a routine as a family right? Might as well formulate your schedule taking into consideration the variables of the routine. It would be easier for everyone concerned, I think
@RebeccaScarlett (2532)
• Canada
17 Jan 11
I'm paranoid about kids watching television! I want my daughter to learn how to appreciate books the way her father and I do -- and she already enjoys story time every night
We are guilty of letting her watch the movie "Mamma Mia" because she just LOVES ABBA, and she'll bop and bounce to the music while she plays with her toys. But I insist that we both spend lots of interactive time with her with her toys, and with showing her different things, like watching people out the window, or letting her explore (safe) household objects.
Luckily we don't even have cable, lol.
We are guilty of letting her watch the movie "Mamma Mia" because she just LOVES ABBA, and she'll bop and bounce to the music while she plays with her toys. But I insist that we both spend lots of interactive time with her with her toys, and with showing her different things, like watching people out the window, or letting her explore (safe) household objects.
Luckily we don't even have cable, lol.1 person likes this
