It is freezing outside and it has been for over a week. My kids are going crazy and I am suffering from a severe case of cabin fever myself. My tables are covered with paint, play dough, googly eyes, toilet paper rolls, beads and other odds and ends I’ve thrown in front of my kids to keep them from destroying my home.
All day, I kept thinking, “I wish it was summertime”. I have fond memories of last summer when we played outside most of the morning. My kids were completely worn out by noon (and so was I) so we would all take a quick nap. Within minutes of waking up, we would be outside swinging, walking or barbecuing.
I wouldn’t give up those memories for a moment. That being said, I saw firsthand how slowing down last summer affected my business in the fall. I was involved in the direct sales industry where it is hard to keep your business running if you take a lengthy break. You book parties, when you have parties. If you don’t hold summer parties, it is very hard to get the ball rolling again in the fall (which is the busiest sales season). While I am no longer in direct sales, I’ve learned a valuable business lesson that I won’t soon forget. If you know you will be slowing down in the summertime, plan for it today.
This is probably a silly analogy, but bear with me. Earlier this week, I was thinking about the upcoming swimsuit season. I typically join the gym every February (after a nine month break) and spend three months frantically trying to get back into shape. It is one of the few times I have the forethought to plan ahead (standing naked in front of a full-length mirror is a pretty effective reminder too.) This year, I am as determined to be as concerned about my home business, as I am about being seen in public in swim wear.
Every home business is different so I couldn’t possibly offer you any sort of personalized plan of attack to make your summer easier. My biggest suggestion is to simply plan ahead.
How much do you plan to work this summer? When will you be taking a vacation with your family? Are there things you could be doing today to make your summertime more relaxing and fun?
I know it is difficult to think about summertime when you are scraping snow off of your minivan and pulling on an extra pair of socks. I am simply suggesting that you give the above questions some thought and attention so that you can enjoy barbecuing, camping, swimming and sun tanning just a bit more.
How do you prepare your business for summertime? Tell us about it in the comments section.
Related Reading:
The Positives to Blogging for Families.com – Flexibility and Freedom
4 Ways to Treat Work at Home Cabin Fever
Coping With Cabin Fever