What it is like to be me...a day in the life of The Herbert's

Being me is not bad, being me is actually pretty wonderful! Many have commented on how busy I am, how much I do, etc., so I thought I would blog about what a typical day is like for my family, that is if it is a typical day...at least once a week the unexpected happens.

I wake up anywhere from 430 am to 630 am, depending upon my work load. Usually, I am up around 530 am because that is just when my body says to get moving. I say good morning to the dog and cat, start the coffee pot and if it is cold I start a fire. KCRA 3 News is on but turned down all the way so that it does not wake my family. This is my time to get things done so I do whatever I can to let them sleep; plus they need their sleep. This is also a time where I watch the sunrise and thank God for life. Since I have started doing this, I am noticed small changes happening for the better in our lives. Prayer is very important.

With coffee in hand, I sit down at the computer to check email and Facebook. This gets my brain juices flowing. Then, if I have work, I work. If I do not have work, I find something that needs to be done. With three businesses being operated out of  our house, there is always something to do whether it is bookkeeping, marketing or just planning. What businesses, you ask? My husband's handyman business, my virtual assistance business and my handmade creations business. I will include links to them at the end of this blog.

Then at about 7:30 am the family starts to get up. If Pat has work that day, I get the invoices and map ready for him and if he wants I make him a lunch. If it is a school day, it is all about getting our daughter ready. This is my least favorite part of the day. 1) I have to become a NAG  and 2) I have to be with out my baby for the day (this is a bitter sweet thing, LOL). We leave the house by 8:40 am, daughter is off to school by 9 am and if it is Monday I stay to volunteer in her class. If it is any other weekday, the second part of my "work" day begins.

I emphasized "work" with parentheses because this is the time of day I have to prioritize the things that need to be done.  Work comes in many different forms as I am a wife and mother as well as a professional. Some day's one or all of our businesses take top priority, other days housework, chores and other personal responsibilities take over. Most of the time, it is a blend of business and personal tasks that make it on the calendar. It just depends.

How do I keep it all together? Giggle, on the days I do, LOL, Google Calendar is my best friend! I keep this calendar color coded so that I know what tasks are the most important and who they are for. Most days this calendar looks like a rainbow! Thank you Google!

If I have any errands to run before getting my daughter from school I stop work at about 2 pm and head out. If not, I work until 3 pm. Since I sit in the pick up line for sometimes up to a half an hour, I bring work with me. I have a bag which I call "My Mobile Office", this bag allows me to work anywhere!

We are back home at 4 pm, just in time to give my daughter a little break/snack, start dinner and dive into homework. Homework, dinner, shower, bed by 9 pm. This time of the day, my favorite (because we are all home) goes by the fastest. Go figure!

Walking? Walking has become a top priority for me although it does not involve the business or taking care of the family I be sure to fit it in somewhere on a daily basis. While that realistically does not happen, I hold that intention all day until it gets done or has to be forgotten about. So far, I have only missed a couple of days.

Walking is top priority for me now because it allows time for me to gather my thoughts, sweat and spend time outdoors; it is a time that is all about me. Those of you who have known me for a long time know that this is a huge change! I have never put myself first. Honestly, it felt strange at first. I recently realized that if I want things to be good with my family and career, I have to make sure that I am all good.  Hey, if Mama aint happy, nobody is happy!

On the weekends things are a little more relaxed; however, we live by the motto, "No rest for the wicked" so we keep ourselves busy doing the things we did not get done the work week before and preparing for the work week ahead.

Herbert's Overhead Maintenance is my husband's bread winning business. He is a handyman that specializes in roof and gutter maintenance. I run the office and he does all the work. Together we are a good team!

Sarah Herbert's Virtual Services is my business. I help businesses virtually with many different tasks like e-news letters, social media, research, etc. I am at a crossroads with this project and will soon be going over all the aspects to fine tune, adjust and move forward.  I went to school for this and received my Virtual Office Professional Certificate June of 2011.

Crandall's Creations is also my business. I make and sell handmade earrings and other jewelry. In the near future I hope to add on things like sachets and note cards. This is the third time, third name and third attempt at making this work. I just cannot let this project go. Three times a charm!

My passion is helping people and creating things...all three of these businesses fulfill this. In my spare time I write. I am currently working on a children's book and book about life. Both I hope to publish someday, but for now they are an outlet. I also look for recipes to tweak and subs to use for healthier living. Perhaps this will turn into a book too. Healthy living for myself and family has recently become a priority.

So there you have it, a day in the life of the Herbert's!