Time Management

Why is it that I can get way more done when I have a finite amount of time and when I have a larger chunk of time available I can't seem to get going?  I think the answer is pretty simple.  When I have a finite amount of time I am focused and on task so work, work, work.  On the other hand, when I have a week off from the day job (or even a long weekend) I don't accomplish nearly what I had set out to do.  I think that's because I think I can procrastinate and do it later today or even tomorrow.  I think I'm going to proclaim March as "Time Management Month" for me.  I'm going to try to see what I can do to get a better handle on the work I have to do.  I have a few custom orders piled up that I need to plow through.  Again, these have no specific time lines so I'm working my way through them slowly.  I need to get organized and set up a timeline for me to accomplish them.  Perhaps tonight when I'm home from the day job I'll get that list started.

I've tried to set hours of work for Buttons By Robin (after the day job and weekends) but sometimes that doesn't pan out.  Some days I'm just too tired to do what I had set out to do and other days family or household obligations get in the way.  I never want to say I can't spend time with hubby or my son.  It's not that they demand a lot of time but when they are around and want to hang out I don't want to say no. 

Tonight I have a to do list.  I try to keep it manageable.  I have also set a monthly income goal for Buttons By Robin that I want to strive toward this year.  It's a huge jump from last year.  I've very tentatively started a business plan and know approximately how much product I have to produce to do that.  I can produce the product but promoting and listing it so that it can actually sell are two different things.

As I said, I'm going to start with a list and maybe try the Buttons By Robin weekday business hours again and see where it takes me.  Maybe if I set my time to just an hour a night I'll focus more than when I set it for three and take my time.  As they say......baby steps!

Dinosaur Buttons



I'm always looking for ideas for boys.  There seems to be a lot more ideas for cute items for girls.  So when I find boy button ideas I get really excited.  I think these dinosaur buttons will fit the bill.  These can be found here https://www.etsy.com/listing/126139349/dinosaur-buttons-set-of-8-different  I like these because the colours are more muted.  I have other dinosaur buttons on my site but those are a bit more pastel in colour and while they'd also work for boys these are more traditional colours in muted greens and browns for the most part.  I decided I just had to have these images when I saw the mastodon image.  I thought he was just so adorable.  I may make a set of just him at some point.  These particular buttons are 3/4" or 2 cm round.  The images are used with permission of Cintio and Americo.  I love their images.

 

Speaking of boys in my last post I said I was going to share a bit more of myself rather than just list pictures of my buttons.  I'm not sure I have that much of interest to say but oh well.  I spend Saturday going out with my son.  He's grown and doesn't live at home but I talk to him almost every day and see him fairly often.  We had a great day just going for a late breakfast/brunch and then visiting some of the great stores in this wonderful city we live in.  We really didn't have anything specific in time but I always love being able to spend time with him and I appreciate that as an adult he loves spending time with me as well.  I did have a lot of buttons to do.  I don't think I've really got caught up from being on vacation a few weeks ago.  However, it was well worth it to put all that aside and just spend time with him.  The buttons will wait and I don't have any hard and fast deadlines I need to meet.  I do have some custom order requests but I'll get them done.  When I get a chance to spend time with my son I will always take that opportunity. 

 

I was at the day job today and now tonight I'm trying to list a few items that I took pictures of and hopefully take a few more pictures.  I also opened an EBay store on the weekend so I'm tyring to get that up and running.  Once I have a few more listed there I'll post a link on my blog.  I am posting some auctions as well so perhaps you can snag a button deal!  Well I'm off to finish off some more things before I get too tired which knowing me should be about 7:00 p.m. :) 



Cinderella Buttons

It's been a while since I've added a post here.  I was having some trouble uploading pictures but that seems to have corrected itself now.  These Cinderella buttons are available at www.buttonsbyrobin.com They're perfect for your little princess.  On a more personal note I've decided that I need to use my blog to show a little bit more of my personal side and not just list pictures of my buttons.  I'm not sure I have that much to say that will be of interest but I do know with handmade items it's nice to get to know the maker just a bit so I'm going to try to do my best to add some of that in my blog.