Anyone want to join me in an MSN mutual ass kicking mission? Help me work!

[Thandeka]

Nargh I have a million and three things to do- both workwise (am freelancer) and houseworkwise.

I have always found having an MSN asskicker really helps. Ie. both of you say right- I am going to do XYZ by ABC and then you both check back at the appointed time. It really works except my usual MSN asskicker is never online anymore. So of course I get distracted into the lure of mumsnet (ahem but my excuse right now is I am posting for asskicking help!).

So anyone want some mutual asskicking today?

no one?
Sigh- looks like I might actually have to motivate myself.

Hi thadeka I am in exactly the same boat! I need to write 5000 words to finish the final chapter of a course i am writing by the end of tomorrow, my ironing pile is reaching the ceiling and i have to go and see toy story 3 after school as my son has been invited to go for a birthday party and has ASD so i can't drop off, need to go with....yikes!

I'm not on msn but i will be happy to indulge in some ass-kicking on this thread if that helps? My aims for today are:

1. To make a serious inroad into my freelancing work - hopefully 15 pages (half a chapter).

1. To change the sheets on mine and DCs beds

Tomorrow I will be:

1. Finishing and submitting the chapter started today

1. Invoicing my September work

1. Cleaning the bathrooms

Must go and get DS ready for cinema and wrap a bday pressie now...good luck with getting stuff done!!

Oh God, I was just about to post on here about how I feel completely overwhelmed.

Part of the problem is that most of what I have to do is admin/accounts and chasing leads rather than paid work.

If it was a paid project I would have no problems.

I feel I put so much time right now in with no pay/quick rewards. it is just a slog at the moment being self-employed and my DH is self-employed to and I do his admin, too.

OK. I am going to reply to 3 outstanding emails NOW!

I've done the sheets off to the cinema now - will be burning the midnight oil tonight I fear, but this is the last bit of a mammoth project and i will be SO HAPPY when it is over!

good on you nomedoit hope you got the emails out - I need to start finding new projects/clients asap - i've been bogged down in one huge thing since July and it's coming to an end now...sort of looking forward to a change tho obv nervous about getting new work in...

Oh Beachy I'd rather be working than looking!!! Right, did 2 emails and saved the template so the third should take only a little bit. Off to get DD, then will finish later.

Congrats on the sheets!

Right, third email sent plus trip to PO done. The main things I have to do this week are:

1. Do my business accounts
2. Do a household budget
3. Do filing for my business
4. Set out a networking plan
5. Finish all the outstanding emails/clear-out the inbox
6. Clean the bloody bathroom

lol nome the bathroom is always the last on my list too!

Only just got back from the kids party so going to have dinner, have a shower, have a large coffee and get to work - boooooo!

But my bathroom really needs cleaning because we just put in a new shower cubicle!

One of the reasons I'm stuck at the moment mentally is because I am revving up my website and I'm asking people for testimonials. It makes me cringe... Even if they say yes, I invariably have to chase and chase for them.

Have you tried writing one for them to adapt/approve? The reason they don't get back is prob not because they don't want to give you a testimonial, it's just they don't know what to write/can't find the time. If you know what they were pleased with (quick turnaround/good price/creativity etc) write it for them...do you think that would work? What work do you do??

I managed a draft of my chapter structure last night so need to really focus today - off to the library from 9 - 12 when I have to collect my son as there are NO distractions there - not even an internet connection! So I am forced to work hard!!

Good luck to us in getting lots done today!!

I'm a copy-writer, Beachy. Thanks for the advice! Working on my accounts today...

Well a productive morning for me - over half way i think

Accounts - what fun! I haven't even done my end of sept invoicing yet - i figured i should finish this urgent project first otherwise i might not have a client to invoice!!

What type of things do you write? I'm just finishing a business course which has been a real challenge, and by far the largest copy writing project i have done since going freelance - it's about 60,000 words! Usually i just do advert/brochure/advertorial/DM type stuff.

Do you do SEO copywriting? i'm considering how to get into it and wondering if there is any courses or whatever i need to do...i suspect it's just a case of reading up on it and having a go!

I haven't done SEO but to be honest I think I could! There is so much info on the Internet. The same with Google Ad Words. I also do speaking (about communication skills) which is what I really enjoy and I am trying to get into speech-writing for CEO's which is also well-paid. I am in the US so the conference market here is very lucrative. I am slightly re-orientating my website away from offering written content and towards speaking and I just had a new logo designed to support that. So I am at that depressing 'outlay without work' stage!

Do you cold-call clients? I have some potential clients in mind where I don't have an intro. I'm not sure how to make the initial approach. Email? Call? Write?

So far I haven't cold called - I have been recontacting people i used to work with when i worked in agencies before I had kids.

I have also had success approaching people through gumtree noticeboards - I have got two clients and one approach that I could not commit enough time to through answering job ads with a "you think you need a marketing assistant...you don't you need a freelance marketing professional" type approach.

Once I get this thing finished this week I plan to set up a simple website on a free blog site and carry on with contacting prospective local companies who are recruiting marketing staff, as well as revisiting my address book of old contacts. I am also planning to try and use twitter effectively, as a sales tool and also a learning experience for me so I can then sell my skills in developing effective twitter activity for clients.

I think I would cold call by finding the right contact, emailing them, then following up with a telephone call. It's easier to engage someone in convo if they have a clue who you are...make sure you use a memorable email subject so they will remember it when you call.

Good luck with it - i loathe cold calling, that's why I started responding to recruitment ads - it felt more solicited if you know what i mean... i'm hoping it will continue to work for me so i don't have to cold call - makes me cringe!!!!

"answering job ads with a "you think you need a marketing assistant...you don't you need a freelance marketing professional" type approach."

I really like this approach. Hope you don't mind me 'stealing' the idea - i desperately need to get going with my bookkeeping/accounting business and thoroughly hate coldcalling.

Your welcome mykids good luck with it

I finished my huge project yesterday...at 1.15am [ tired emoticon ] so i am jubilant!!

Today the only "work" i'm attempting is my Sept invoicing. I will also be blitzing the house and the ironing as things have been sliding on that front while I was so busy!

I might start looking into resurrecting my wordpress site but most prob that's a job for tomorrow.

Happy days

Sigh- so you lot all start your ass kicking and I'm too busy to notice! Right getting back into this thread then as its almost 10am and I am yet to start. Tsk tsk!

Well done JustBeachy- feels great when a project finishes doesn't it!

Right then my plan is:
-Write and check objectives and curriculum for the scheme of work KS2
-Make sure the lessonplans for KS2 have a coherent flow.
-Add any additional necessary lessons from other sources.
-Phone my boss to discuss my role play lesson master plan.

AIM- to finish this sodding SOW by 5pm today!

Are you a teacher thandeka ? Do you do the classroom stuff as well? Hope you get it all done by 5

am a freelance teacher trainer at mo. So mainly writing teaching materials while I am on "mat leave" but I am missing the classroom a bit! Is a bit dull doing teachery stuff from home but hoping to get into some classrooms to do some practice runs of the lessons before they go out to teachers!

Are you having a well deserved rest today or can I assist you in some ass kicking :)

lol - I need to go and do my invoicing now so kick away...other than that I will just be cleaning the bathrooms and hoovering etc so i think I can potter about without too much pressure

I might need you tomorrow though so i'll be back!

Sadly I only work mondays and wednesdays so I may not be about for asskicking as generally I am running about after a rolling almost crawling baby who keeps trying to chew wires and gets bored after about 5minutes doing anything!
But you enjoy your invoicing :)

So far have done two so two left:
Write and check objectives and curriculum for the scheme of work KS2
-Make sure the lessonplans for KS2 have a coherent flow.

but they are bigguns- 5hours twenty mins left- yikes!

[kicks thandeka a bit more]

Done my invoicing

off to get ds from school now...

gah you are putting me to shame. I was just sneaking on here for 5 mins while I have a cuppa- lost my motivation totally now I am at a boring bit again in the work.

right ass sufficiently kicked to get back to it!

Hi Beachy and welcome Thandeka! Just got up, checked my emails, going to get DD off to school then I'm doing my accounts... Yuk.

Just think how great you will feel when you have done the boring stuff - nothing worse than not doing it and having it hanging over you for ages...wishing you both a productive rest of the day!