All The Time In The World For _______
August 17, 2012 · Print This Article
I’m in an insightful mood having just become an Empty Nester. Yep, we threw our youngest to the wolves… I mean, took him up to college. He is now crammed in a dorm room along with all his things and a roommate he just met. Fun times are to be had, and hopefully he’ll find time for studying as well.
Me? There are a lot of thoughts and emotions working their way through my noggin right now. But at the moment I’m enjoying the quiet – all I hear is the clacking of my keyboard and birds out my window and it is PEACEFUL.
Will I get more done without all the interruptions of kids home during the summer? I sure hope so because I’m all out of excuses. 
And that’s a little scary.
No more excuses.
I also had another birthday and that also is a little scary.
Both events cause me to look at what I’m spending my time on and how I can enjoy life more.
I will be reinventing myself a bit in the coming months.
And that’s exciting!
Believe me, I know that I’m extremely lucky to be able to do the kind of work I want to from home. I want to make the best of it.
So here’s my question to you:
If you had ALL day (with no distractions) to do something that brings you income, what would you do?
Or if you’re ready to reinvent yourself, what path would you take?
Please leave your answer in comments! 
photo credit: xornalcerto
Twitter: suefleckenstein
on August 17th, 2012 3:31 pm
Know how you feel Peggy. I had a big birthday this year too and our 25th Anniversary, makes you wonder where all the time has gone.
I love writing so if I could just do what I love then it would be write my own books all day. Even though I am writing it is often as a ghostwriter for others, as the income is more immediate.
If I were starting from scratch I think I would get into online publishing and formatting for the different platforms. Am actually teaching myself this as we speak so maybe I can offer that to clients as well shortly.
Agree that it is so easy to make excuses when company is around. Just need to shut off the distractions and concentrate and it is amazing at how much you can accomplish.
Sue recently posted ..Free Kindle Book Today
Twitter: pegbaron
on August 17th, 2012 9:53 pm
Hi Sue,
Time does go by fast, doesn’t it? Although I felt like today, my first day of being an Empty Nester, went super slow. I got a ton done even if much of it was getting organized and taking care of loose ends.
Ahhh, if we could write only what we love and want to write, all day long and make an immediate profit from it, that would be wonderful!
I bet your clients would love to have you offer the publishing formatting service to them.
Thanks for sharing and best of luck, Sue.
Twitter: internet_dream
on August 17th, 2012 10:04 pm
Happy belated birthday Peggy! And good luck to your son!
Your question is kind of tricky, in a good way. I think I would use half the time to do all the research into things that matter to me. That would be stuff about the environment and about other big issues going on in our world. Then I’d like to write about that. But earning money, hmmm not so sure.
I also love reading and writing about business, so I’d carry on doing that too!
What’s your answer?
Ruth P recently posted ..Day 17: Get Inspired [31DayPC]
Twitter: Dawn_Kay
on August 19th, 2012 8:17 am
Hi Peggy
Must be horrible for you, I’m dreading that time.
It’s funny how when it’s noisy at home you wish your
kids weren’t there but when they’re not – you miss them
like crazy…
Its hard to think of what I’d do because I’ve never ever had a
day with no distractions lol
I think I’d work on another freebie to offer my list because the more you’ve got out there – the more income you end up with.
Happy belated birthday and enjoy your peace.
Dawn
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Twitter: lisastoops
on August 22nd, 2012 8:16 am
I can’t imagine that day but I know it will come! I used to think that I might get more done without the distraction but I’m not so sure any more.
I would focus on creating content all day – video, blog posts, products, freebies, etc.
I would love to hear how you are spending your days!
Lisa recently posted ..Get More Traffic: Facebook Ads
Twitter: adriennesmith40
on August 22nd, 2012 3:30 pm
The only distractions I have during the day Peggy is my dog who wants love from time to time. Oh yeah, she gets bored sleeping and looking at the window. Although she never tells me when she goes out because I take her every four hours, she does want some lovin and I haven’t help but break to give her some.
I can’t even imagine having a family live here with me since I’ve been alone for so long. I’m sure your peace and quiet is going to take some getting use to but you’ll slide into it quickly and watch out. You may just become a lot more productive.
I’m wishing you luck with that and enjoy the peace and quiet while you can. They’ll be coming home and wanting all your attention.
~Adrienne
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Twitter: pegbaron
on August 23rd, 2012 8:57 am
Hi Ruth,
Research and writing – 2 favorite things we both like. And with your background now in marketing, you can make money from those big issues you’re passionate about.
Frankly though, Ruth, you’re already living the dream… traveling the world and successfully earning a living while doing it!
My answer? It involves creating a totally different (for me) stream of income involving a creative part of me that I stopped using a while back. Oh, and it also includes travel!
Twitter: pegbaron
on August 23rd, 2012 9:04 am
Hi Dawn,
Yes, I do miss them, but it’s a ‘good miss’. It’s only been 6 days and this is already the longest my son has been gone from home without me. The house is very quiet but I’ve been getting out more and that’s also a good thing.
I’ve got to say I’ve been enjoying the heck out of it so far! Like… I would never have gone downtown and seen a pig in the park. It was a cute little brown thing with a sweet personality.
I like your idea of creating another freebie to give your list. Isn’t it funny how freebies are given freely but end up making you money?
Thanks,
Peggy
Twitter: pegbaron
on August 23rd, 2012 9:08 am
Hello Adrienne,
I also have my dog at home to keep me company. She does a lot of sleeping too, although I wish she’d do a better job of keeping the squirrels away from my apple and pear trees, and the birds from my grape vines! We like to play fetch, although she’s slowed down considerably.
Take care,
Peggy
Twitter: taught2earn
on August 23rd, 2012 12:26 pm
Ah Peggy, I wouldn’t know what to do with myself. I suppose I’d sit by the fire drinking all day long and into the night. Oh wait, yes, I’d get some work done. I tend to work better when I’m up against it. If I had all day with the kids out of the house, I would probably get less done to be honest.
When I do get some time though, I tend to read a lot, more than I should do really considering I should be solely focusing on traffic generating tasks. But, if the house is quiet, which is very rare, I take that time to just sit in silence and read, read and read some more
I might write something too.
Declan recently posted ..Behind The Scenes Of The SFM
Twitter: pegbaron
on August 23rd, 2012 1:07 pm
Hi Declan,
You paint a lovely picture – sitting by the fire in a comfy chair, reading a good book with a drink in hand. I do love to read, although I feel too guilty to do much of it during the day. That’s not to say I haven’t gotten my nose in a book right away in the morning when it’s highly suspenseful and I’m near finished!
A quiet house has been rare for me too, up until now. Although I also tend to get more done when I have limited time in which to do it, I can concentrate so much better without noise. I was never one of those who could do schoolwork with the radio on.
Thanks for sharing and have a great day.
Peggy
Hello Peggy,
If I got one whole day to do something without any interruptions and distractions then I’d like to spend my whole day sitting at my writing chair and writing about things I love until I run out of words, until my head gets blank.
But I know getting whole day without any interruptions and distractions is only possible in dreams, because in real life we have hundreds of things to deal with. So getting a whole day off is quite impossible.
The truth is their no rose without thorns and theirs no days without distractions unless we are lucky like you.
BTW, awesome post. And Happy Birthday. Enjoy.
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Hi Peggy,
Talked long ago my friend.:) It’s right I’m busy, nevertheless I visited your blog and feel inclination to chime in.
I know the ‘Empty Nester’ status for ages (bild is related, LOL).
But you know what, I knew this would happen, because it’s the natural order. The children grow up and start a new life. Please, remember back to yourself at that time when you become free from parental domination. Ah, the good ol’ days. LOL
However, I see you want to turbo yourself in short time to overcome emotional potholes. Go girl, go!
In response to your great questions:
Re: the first one. It isn’t easy to answer to me. Why?
Because many types of activities carried out so far in my life. I worked on the field of: car-industry, oil and gas boring and exploration industry, electric industry, building industry, various lines of insurance business, service industry, just name a few.
I often worked alone, but I often got chance trying myself in management positions, successfully.
There was a time when I directed 36 people. These positions were good in that standpoint that I learned to deal with people, to reconcile many aspects, to motivate them in achievement, and to bettering themselves and reaching their goals.
If I consider everything then I still wanted to do what I do now. I sold my business and now I try to help others to build theirs. I’ve gathered a lot of experience and I share them with those who ask it. And I do it not specifically for the money, there is a certain income.
I’m involved in supporting school programs, and worship my passion for writings, which I started when I was ten years old. Learn languages, read books such as “The Touch” from Collen McCullough, now.
Anyway, distraction isn’t unknown to me, but that is another story.
Re: the second one.You know, when I was a child, I wanted to being captain, pilot, poet, parachuter, engine driver – its impact when, what books I’ve read.
Well, I didn’t get one either, but that isn’t a problem. If I had to reinvent myself and start again, maybe I’d be a teacher. Perhaps because I remember my first teachers. How they opened the child’s mind and imagination to the things of the world.
Peggy, belatedly I’d like to wish you many more happy returns.
Cheers,
Sandor
Belated Happy Birthday Peggy. We better not think much about the weird problems that life throws at us. Most of the times they are mere whims which can be gotten rid of by changing our thought process. Coming back to your questions, I’ll write a fiction novella or some story for a client. And I don’t want to reinvent myself, at least for the moment. I love the way I’ve been invented.
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I would surely try getting back to all my hobbies and interests that I could not continue to pursue because of this daily life pressure and work. I am sure it would give that feeling of freshness and freedom atleast for that particular day when there is no distraction at all.
Know how you feel Peggy. I had a big birthday this year too and our 25th Anniversary, makes you wonder where all the time has gone.
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You don’t realize when and how kids grow up so quickly. I still remember the time when my daughter went to college. The first few weeks where horrible everything reminded me of her. I kept calling her every now and then just to hear her voice and to know that she is doing fine. It took me time but finally i realized that my daughter has grown up and can handle herself pretty well.
Enjoy your “new life”, I’m sure you’ll fill inthe spaces quickly.
If I had ALL day with no distractions I’d follow my life long dream and travel the world, (writing about my experiences and getting paid for it, my expenses too).