Stop Spreading Yourself Too Too Thin

As a cheerleader for all things curvy the title of this blog post may appear slightly ironic but recently it came to sum up how I was feeling.
I was ill a few weeks ago with a rather horrible chest infection which left me as week as a kitten and feeling very sorry for myself. A few days of enforced bed rest gave me plenty of time to think.

As regular readers of my blog will know I have what I describe as a portfolio career. I run The Vintage Pamperbox, an online boutique, help my husband run our photography business and of course fit in writing assignments and this blog. I thrive on the variety and in these tough economic times having various income streams has been a lifesaver. When one part of the business has gone a little quiet the others have filled the gap  and vica versa.
However recently I had felt a little flat. Tired and uninspired by what I was doing. Its very unlike me and as someone who has to time manage very carefully having no get up and go was a bit of a disaster.

Where had my get up and go gone?

So in between taking lots of cough medicine and watching reruns of Dallas on UK Gold I started working out why I was feeling so apathetic.
The problem was I had slightly lost my way. When I first started working across various mediums I did it because each element excited and interested me. No work day was ever the same and I never grew bored of what I was doing. Sure the hours are long and the money can vary but to me that was a small price to pay to be genuinely challenged by my work.

I love my work so why was I feeling so deflated?

I realised that during the process of writing my last book I had got into some bad habits. My working day structure had shifted and not for the good. 
I had forgotten that in order to manage various projects successfully I had to be ruthless about what I allowed to cut into my time.
For example I love social media but have always been strict about how much time I allow myself to spend on twitter, facebook and reading blogs as I can easily loose hours if I'm not careful, this rule had definitely slipped.I need to exercise at least three times a week or I get slightly blue (this had long gone by the wayside) I need to check in with friends and people who creatively inspire me.

I need to carve out space for my creativity to thrive

Since shaking off the illness which sort of signalled I had reached crisis point I actually feel so upbeat. Ive done an inventory of my work/life  situation and have shed some rubbish. Ive refocused on what I love and now feel really optimistic about the next few years of Betty Bee ventures.

back on track and feeling great.

If the endless rain and gloomy economic forecasts has taken you to a bit of a tipping point I can't recommend enough making a list of everything you do. 
Be brutally honest, what makes you happy? what actually drains you or is just one commitment too far? Go through it with a red pen-be prepared to get rid of activities and habits but also to revisit good things you have let slide.
Sure its scary to give up old behaviours but rather than thinking of it as walking away from things think of it as running to a more manageable joyful work/life balance.
Trust me going for coffee with a friend or giving yourself ten minutes in the garden reading the paper will energise you far more than looking at a strangers wedding photos on facebook or watching a twitter row kick off.
For more of my musings on the wacky world of working for yourself check out my Sassy Self Employment page

Hellbunny Dress Giveaway

The brilliant Sohos clothing who stock an amazing range of plus sized clothes are offering one reader this rather fetching Asuka Hellbunny dress.

For your chance to win this dress (available in sizes 6-20)

Win this dress

• Join this blog if you haven't already
• Leave a comment on Last wednesdays post.
• Like Sohos facebook page

The winner will be chosen via random number generator on June the 13th 2012

False Eyelash Giveaway

I'm also giving away a set of Vintage Cosmetic company false eyelashes courtesy of Lottyblue check out Last Mondays Blogpost for details

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