I am currently in my own kind of circus. My balancing act involves school, cleaning, being a wife, being a daughter, being a sister, writing, and recently, training dogs (and eventually, this art business!). Every day, I need a reminder that it is physically impossible for me to handle every single part of this circus act without loosing a part of myself and my girls going crazy. Each time I forget and try to juggle everything at once, my system sort of breaks down and I become useless. My current system, is to delegate some of my cleaning tasks to my brothers and husband (when he has energy) and to only focus on a couple of things a day.
In the month of November 2023, I did a series on TikTok (link in contacts) where I gave myself things to accomplish. Additionally, I recorded my daily tasks so that I could both, keep myself accountable, and acknowledge the things I was doing throughout the day. At first, I always felt exhausted and like I never got anything valuable done within my day. However, the recordings showed me how much I actually do for those around me. I made sure to set my goals to fit what I needed most for my own success and wants and worked on them little by little each day. By doing this, I had set aside some “me” time for at least two hours each day, making sure I always felt like I was progressing smoothly.
I found the series to be a success as I accomplished most of my goals before the deadline I had set for myself. I decided that I was going to continue doing this both, per month, and set major goals for the year (I gave up a few months later). So, I created my goals for the following month month and created a BINGO card of things I would like to accomplish by the end of 2024. The main thing I learned, is that sometimes, recording yourself can show you how much you really do and will also inspire you to keep pushing for a little more productivity.
Being productive on someone else’s time frame is exhausting and quite draining. As someone with ADHD, I find myself running around like a chicken who’s butt has been lit up with fireworks. Not a pretty picture, but entertaining to watch, as long as you don’t get hit by stray flames. I was given both a good and bad gift all wrapped into one on a specific week. My husband had covid, which made it so that I stayed home to care for him. You’re probably asking: What could be good about that? Well, I had not had time to care for our own house in months, doing the bare minimum to get by. So I embraced my week at home and spent my time cleaning things I had not been able to focus on previously. I was able to deep clean most of the house and wash almost every piece of clothing we owned, all while caring for him. As ADHDer’s we need to remember that productivity is not forced and constant. It comes to you at the most odd times and gifts you grace when you are unable to catch all the balls at once.
June 2024 has been a new adventure for me and my crazy business ideas. Two weeks in, I did my first pop up booth at a fair for resale and art. After a whole week of planning, organizing, and setting up, I was finally able to put my booth together and see all my work displayed on the table. I had to borrow many supplies, but my first booth was a success. I even made sure to keep everything eco-friendly or reusable. Once I had gotten myself together, I was able to see how others set up their booths, how they communicated with the customers, and the environment of the fair. I am now signed up to do four or more events, only art now, every month. I prepare for a minimum of two weeks to prep for each of these events. Surprisingly enough, it really does take that much time to get everything together.
My other business job... is my brother’s car detailing business. I am their secretary, accountant, legal representative, and assistant. What does that mean? It means that I handle all the logistics, paperwork, and give them advice when they are confused on how the legal system works for taxes and businesses. By handling the background work of the business, my brothers are able to focus on the production and work they are putting forth.
My goals for the next chapters of my life include being a intern special education teacher in 2025, becoming an author, a certified special education teacher for a few more years, a masters in psychology, a business in flipping and building furniture, a school psychologist for a few years, and the founder of a international mental health advocate and job resource. Will you join me on my looooong ride to accomplishing these goals?
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