A few weeks ago I wrote about my daily schedule and how I was exchanging actual work time for marketing and follow-up time because I didn’t have as much work to do as I had marketing to do.

In the past week, I’ve landed some really big projects for Avenue Z Writing Solutions. All of a sudden, I have almost no time to work on marketing during the day. I’m actually working on project after project. In fact, I’ve had to reschedule a meeting with a potential partner, cancel a class I was going to teach and cut back a little on working out. It’s been pretty amazing.

Copywriting Guru Peter Bowerman warns in his books that December is frequently very busy with everyone wanting to get projects started/completed before the end of the year. I figured that wouldn’t be the case this year since I’m just starting off. I was wrong. He also warns that January is very slow. But if you don’t advertise in December for January work, how do you make a living in January?

My problem is keeping up with the marketing while all this working is happening. In sales we learned very quickly that one can never just sit around and finish what’s on one’s plate. One always has to be on the hunt for tomorrow’s dinner.

I’m worried about hunting, but right now I’m trying to juggle all these deadlines.

This is good, right?

I’ve got to admit that I do a pretty good job of keeping focused on my work as a professional writer while I’m here in my home office. When I’m at my desk, it’s just like being in an office at work, and I pretty much ignore that I’m actually sitting in my living room at a $35 Ikea desk I picked up at a thrift store.

But sometimes I really have to stop myself from living the life of someone who stays home all the time. A former colleague gave me the first rule of working from home: never do your laundry during the day. Here are a few rules I try to live by to keep my work day professional.

1. Like my friend said, first do no laundry. I have three loads running right now, but I couldn’t help it. I don’t have many outfits for the gym, and I go five days a week. I have to therefore keep up with my laundry much more than I did when I just sat around in yesterday’s sweats all the time.
2. The fridge is not your friend. Just because I’m ten feet from my kitchen doesn’t mean that I can pop up for Pop Tarts when I need a break. Of course, if I worked in a real office, I’d have to avoid the conference room donuts as well.
3. Forget working on your complexion or your unwanted facial hair during the day. Sometimes on a quick trip to the restroom, I catch a look at myself in the mirror. “Hmmm… I could use a quick mud mask,” I think. But I really try to resist.
4. Do not pick up a dust rag. This is actually my worst habit while I’m talking on the phone. I pace around the house, and I start dusting, or mopping, or wrapping up the garbage. And then the client says, “Write this down,” and I have to rush back to my desk.
5. Watch out for friends and coffee. I’m forever getting sucked into coffee with friends during the work day. I ADORE coffee with friends, and it’s hard for me to resist. But sometimes I really need to limit my coffee time or just not go. (Ok, I always go, but sometimes I make myself leave early.)
6. Be careful of personal email. I’ve talked about this before. Personal email checking, internet surfing, mail sorting, personal calls from friends. All these things distract me from actual work. And if I don’t do the actual work, the business does not keep going.
7. When the cat’s away, you can get work done. My cat’s name is Mickey Mouse, and she frequently becomes insistent that NOW is the time to cuddle. RIGHT NOW. No, really. It’s best when I keep her high on catnip or when I keep the house a little chilly so she curls on my bed in the down comforter.

For more ways I waste time, view My whole category on Procrastination….

Dear readers,

I invited a health insurance agent to write a guest post for Life on Avenue Z. I found talking to him very helpful in light of my challenges in finding a good health insurance policy for my small business as a professional writer.

From David Lindsey…

Finding
quality Health Insurance is hard these days…Part of the common stereotype of
the past Insurance Salesman has caused thousands to flee exposure to a bad experience
in there own home, to trying to sort it all out online. That leaves the shopper
working blind.

Just like you would not go to court on your own, or operate on
yourself, you need a professional, but not a pushy salesman. Today, I am an
educator. In Insurance, the internet should be used to gather information, but
it is invaluable to find an expert you can trust who can help you in 3
important areas.

1. You need to understand the market, what the landscape looks
   like.
   
2. You need to have options/choices of carriers and plans.
   
3. You need to
   have the subtle differences between the plans/carriers explained in detail.
   

The most commonly overlooked but most vital is the Annual Maximum Out of Pocket
exposure. This is your deductible plus your co-insurance, should something bad
happen. Many California plans have Max Out of Pocket exposure of $7500 per
year. An overnight stay at the Hospital for observation, or a Outpatient
Surgery could run you $7500 making you wonder where is the insurance.

Humbly, I
am one of those Insurance Agents, but I am different. I want you to fully
understand all of the above, before you make a decision. SO, to avoid being
sales-y here, check out my website www.davidlindseyinsurance.com
, see what they are saying about me and if you have a need in California, let’s
talk.

I was invited personally by Beth to attempt to address some of these
concerns. We met recently at a Constant Contact seminar, spoke of her needs and
here I am. If I can help you improve your situation, I will tell you. If I
cannot, I will also tell you. One more thing…you pay the same premium if you
go direct or if you go through an agent. The commission is there, so find a
professional to earn his fees by helping educate you and help you find the
right coverage for you.

I was just tagged by Ms. Moonbeam McQueen for a meme. As requested, I will write seven things about myself and post the following rules:

1) Link to the person that tagged you, and post the rules on your blog.
2) Share 7 facts about yourself.
3) Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
4) Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Here goes…

1. I love toe rings and anklets more than any other jewelry. My favorite anklets have tiny bells.
2. I spend many nights a week — especially Friday and Saturday — in the gym so that the long hours that a personal life frequently fills don’t make me sad. I wear my marathon gear to the gym to make it look like I’m a serious athlete, not a dateless loner. How my hot pink cap with "Marathon Girl" spelled in cheap rhinestones makes me look like a serious athlete is really none of my concern. It goes well with my San Diego Rock -n- Roll Marathon ankle socks.
3. I have salt-and-pepper nose hairs. What bothers me the most is that I’m aware I have salt-and-pepper nose hairs.
4. My current favorite meal is a can of albacore tuna, heated with about a teaspoon of butter and tossed with angel hair pasta, capers and Chinese hot pepper sauce. I eat it about three times a week.
5. The people I love most in the world live more than a thousand miles away.
6. My math scores were much higher than my verbal scores on both the SAT and the GRE. And now I’m a writer.
7. In my head I wrote and rewrote and rewrote this meme list at least 46 times since I was tagged yesterday.

Ok… now for the tagging….

Ingrid the Great
Sarah from BROOD
Happy Katie
Gluten-Free Tiffany (Gluten-Free Steve was just tagged)
David Castle Art
Joleeann
Elizabeth from A Green Footprint

I really had high hopes for sending out Christmas gifts to my clients this year, but it looks like I’m going to have to settle for sending cards instead of gifts. I’m having a tough time trying to figure out which cards to send as well.

I want a card that stands out and is fun, but it has to be environmentally sensitive. I’m in love with these cards from Bloomin’ Flower Cards. Each holiday card has a snowflake or dove or snowman or tree that is a removable ornament which can also be planted.

But I’ve gotten plant-able cards before, and I’ve never planted them. So I doubt my clients will either.

Cards Direct has recycled cards as well, but I don’t necessarily like the fact that they offer a line but aren’t really an environmentally sensitive company. And besides, many of their offerings have cowboy boots and Western themes. Not my style.

These aren’t my style either.

I love these from this Swedish manufacturer, but you have to order 200.

I like these, but I don’t want to be too preachy.

My new favorites are here — a talented artist using recycled paper. Hmmm…. We may have a winner.