Tips for Running a Business and Self-Publishing a Book While Raising a Family

As the New Year approaches, I thought I’d share some of my tips with you on running a business, self-publishing a book and raising a family at the time. I know I’ve mentioned this before, but it bears repeating:
Be organized and work ahead as much as possible.

Something I love are the free, printable calendars available from a number of websites (search “free printable calendar” and you’ll find a number to choose from). When I need to have a day organized carefully, I print off a calendar with everything for that day in set blocks of time so I can follow it closely.

Most of the time, I just need a weekly calendar-page printed with the jobs I have to do, and I print off one copy to keep next to my computer and one copy to keep in my purse. I check it every night to be sure I know exactly what I need to do for the upcoming day.

With the school calendar, I need to change some of my schedule to include carpooling, after-school practice times, and additional school and church activities. For me, this means back to working early in the morning, rather than in the middle of the day. For you, it might mean working later in the evening.

Finally, be sure you set yourself some sort of schedule to follow, even if it’s as simple as doing laundry on Mondays, sending e-mails at 8:30 am, or writing 3,000 words per day. It’s easy to let time slip away if you don’t have a goal to reach each day, but it’s also just as easy to accomplish something if you put your mind to it.

Do you have questions and need help with writing and marketing your self-published book? Please contact me here or at http://www.jexbo.com/.

Happy 2011!