Getting Serious And Taking The Challenge

Yesterday I posted on my Facebook page the Ezine Articles “100 articles in 100 days” challenge. I have decided to do it. Since the actual Ezine challenge has been running for more than a month, and cutting my deadline by more than 30 days is not something I’m willing to do my first time trying this, I will enter the challenge, but extend my personal date by one month so I will still have a full 100 days to complete 100 articles. If I get really efficient at it, maybe I will make the Ezine cut off anyway? You never know what will happen when you put your mind to it.

Many of you know how hard it is to write with little kids running around, but I have decided to take the challenge anyway. My goal isn't to receive the mug or other prizes offered by Ezine, my goal is to hone my writing skills and become more efficient.

I suppose my story is similar to most Work At Home Moms out there. We balance caring for and nurturing the children, taking them to their events, giving time to our husbands, running the household (making dinner, lunch, doing laundry, cleaning bathrooms ect), and if that wasn't already a full time job, we add running a business from home. And in the end we hope we have found some personal time for ourselves too. Though if any of you moms are like me, you give that up first. Some days I feel happy to have made it through the day let alone be efficient with it. And yet being a work at home mom is still the best job in the world. To make all these things run smoothly we must be efficient. Scheduling our time, categorizing our spent time into "time priorities" (see Carving Out Time in My Day Week 2) and setting realistic and attainable goals all help me to be more efficient, and focused in my day.

Now I want to work on being more efficient in my writing. This will take practice for me. It has been a long time since I have written very much. Close to 14 years since I graduated college. So giving my self this challenge will be good for me, even if I don't make all 100 articles, I am still working toward a goal I have set and will be better for it in the end. If I can think of it in small bites it will help me not to get overwhelmed. Instead of thinking of the looming 100 articles in 100 days, I will think of the 7 articles I need to write in the next 7 days. If that overwhelms me I will think of the 1 article I have to write today. My hope is that this little trick will help me to stay laser focused without being overwhelmed.

Are you up for a challenge? Even if writing 100 articles isn’t the type of challenge you want to take on, think of one that will help you achieve one of your goals this month and set it. Don’t wimp out, lets take control of our circumstances and stop wishing we could achieve what we want. Lets just achieve it. Are you trying to exercise more, lose weight, or increase your business? What can you accomplish in 100 days? Post your own 100-day challenge and we will help keep you accountable.

The Ezine challenge ends April 10th, since I am starting late, my deadline for 100 articles will be May 10th. You will be able to see my progress (pass or fail) here in my blog and on Facebook (Kari Day). We can do this together. READY… SET… GO!