
Fresh out of bed, I seek out my dog and hug him – this isn’t a quick hug, it’s a heartfelt bonding hug that refreshes me and leaves his tail wagging. Having done my first good deed for the day, I get my coffee, make my bed, and go outside to hear the birds and enjoy God’s world.
Now it’s time to check my private emails. I am very strict about giving my friends and family my private email address and NOT my business email address. That way they get my undivided attention first – and that includes knowing whose birthday it is and whether I have personal appointments that day. I do this because I know that my business is going to captivate me the moment I crack open the first email. My business fuels my passion and drives me, so I have to be disciplined to address everything else before it.

Sometimes the day is so beautiful that I cannot bring myself to go inside. That’s what my laptop is for. I pull it out and start working right there on my front porch. If I must go inside, my office awaits. It is a separate area with a door. I think that’s important to keep out the noise and bustle of the home while I focus on the needs of my business. My favorite days are those when the rain pours down and the pups sleep on the floor of my office. I can work for hours without the tug of sunshine or a body of water calling to me from outside.
At heart, I am an outdoors girl and it’s hard to keep me down for long. That’s why I have been careful to add all relevant email addresses and apps to my phone. Yes, that decision ensures that I am always informed and almost always working, but it also gives me the freedom to move about the planet while I do so.

