Here we continue with our series on the trials and tribulations of starting a craft business. Shall we learn together?

Sometimes finding the time to create, make and do the other 5,000 things associated with trying to get a craft business off the ground, is a tad bit overwhelming. I can be easily distracted by the most mundane things, like laundry. I have come to realize that I need a lot of structure to accomplish the many tasks that need doing and have a couple of tricks up my sleeve that I pull out when I need to get my butt in gear.

If my work area is cluttered or generally not clean, I’ll procrastinate to the nth degree. It’s so easy to leave all my crafting supplies out and about when I’m finished for the day. But I know that it will come back to haunt me the next, so I try and put everything away once I’m done. Sitting down to a clean and clear work space helps me to focus on the tasks at hand.

Taking five minutes before starting any work to write out a to do list, helps me see everything that I want to accomplish for the day. It is a great tool to organize the many tasks that accumulate and it is a great feeling to see the list dwindle when I can cross items off. It also gives me a clear end to my day, once everything is off the list, allowing me to get a head start on the next day’s tasks.

Another trick I learned from a past co-worker, is the other five minute rule. If there is a task that you are dreading to tackle, just do it for five minutes. Only five minutes, that’s it. After the five minutes are up, more than likely you won’t notice that the five minutes are over and so into the task that you’ll continue it until complete. Sometimes starting the task is all it takes to get it done. I find this also works for tasks that you might not be dreading but need a little incentive to get to it. So applying this technique to anything on your list will usually help get you through it.

Setting up a simple reward system has proven successful as well. If I’m currently embroiled in a page turner of a book, I start rewarding myself with chapters. I’ll complete one task on my to do list, then read a chapter. Cross another item off, I get to read another chapter. If books aren’t your thing, work for 50 minutes then reward yourself with 10 minutes of whatever reward works for you.

Have any other tips and tricks that help get you through your list? We want to know, please share in the comments.

Image by jek in the box