My Whole Life is To Do List

January 18, 2008.

I think that it is official, I am almost positive I hate January.  I mean I don't hate it for being the month after Christmas and we wake up with a Holiday Hangover and house full of rowdy children that must go back to school soon.  I don't hate it because it is very cold out, and my plants are dead, and my bank account is depleted, sales slow down after Christmas rush,and um did I mention the cranky children?  Oh don't forget that we have to figure out taxes, look at losses, look at the business, see what did well and what did not.  No, nothing depressing about this month. 

Looking Back at 2007

Last year at this time I had my little distraction problem, and really had to cheer up and get over myself.  I came out with an enormous (read way too many new designs) amount of new products in January, more in the Spring and then, whew new Christmas products.  Some parts of 2007 were exciting, some stressful, others things were sort of depressing and some just sad.  I made some new friends and I definitely had a good time, maybe some would say too much fun.  Business is still going good, and with the stress of the economy, even some talking of a recession - we are fine.  No, we are not fabulously wealthy and go buy a Mercedes in your Gucci sunglasses, toting your LV purse - but good none the less.

Time for Resolutions

I am trying very hard to get my To Do List in order, and finish the items that were left from December, or gulp, even November.  My To Do List is really not a list, it is actually more of a pad of paper, that has oh somewhere from about 50 to maybe 100 action items.  Then, I have ideas jotted down, new product ideas, possible blog posts, um some family things to attend to.... I have the best intentions, I really do - but sometimes other factors kick you in the butt and you have to sit back and wait.

So I followed another's lead and I started sending out emails, I was getting leads, pitches, sales calls out - either phone call, email or fax.  I had my list and I was checking it twice, I have a new project, I moved forward, PR leads, catalog that wanted items, went on to next thing on the list.  The last two weeks I was on a mission - moving forward, making headway.  I did not go down the list in order of important to crazy....nooooo I picked and chose, played favorites of things I wanted to do.  What do I get from all my hard work?

• Silence
• Nothing
• Nada
• No call backs
• No returned emails
• I get bupkiss (I do love this expression, I had a friend who had a dog name Bupkiss)

What About Me?

Do you ever have days when the phone never rings, and you think the party left you behind?  When you are sitting around humming that Talking Heads song, and mumbling to self "how did I get here?"   Okay well, this past week has been sort of slow.  Do you get out the party hats and throw yourself a little pity party?  No, just me huh? 

For the most part I am trying not to take any of it personal, because people are busy and it is business - not personal.  And for every door that is shut, another is open.  OH wait, every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end.....ya, ya I have given myself  a pep talk.  Yes I have read an Oprah Magazine, and yes I have a short ski vacation coming up.  I am also trying to come up with a few easy solutions, and get my priorities straight.....

Work for Today

1. Make shorter lists - a manageable one with like maybe 10 items....NO let's start with only 5
2. Make a personal list for family things
3. Make a To Do list for JPD things.....I know sounds so simple
4. Say No and mean it.  I used to be good at this - I need to NOT take all things on
5. Make a schedule - I said this earlier, yes and now I need to stick with it
6. Focus on the good - easy to do in December with orders flying in, more important NOW
7. Let others help me out - this is a tough one for me but I need to do it

I guess less is more...well for today it is.  I only have 6, okay I just added another, 7 things on my....wait I need to do one more, okay 8 - that is it 8 things.....doh, oops  I have nine.  Darn it - I swear I will stop at 10!  Did I say 10?  Wait, wait - I meant 12....no just 12, no more - I promise!  I promise! 

Comments

[London E]

Don't worry too much about the um, silent, phones or no call backs. January is show month, retailers are hitting all the shows or they are doing what you are about to. Taking a vaca somewhere. February will be here before you know it, or even worse, March and you will be wondering what happened to that nice quiet time when you had time to get your projects done! It's Show month, remember! It affects almost everyone in our industry. It's all good.

[Julie]

hey jamie~
We just had gift in Atlanta last week and they word back to me was it was very slow. I think this year will be a year to make careful,thoughtful plans. Personally I have had new intrest and things appear to be fine. Some stores have been asking me to break large orders into small groups of 3 or 4 to make it easier to manage. That is something I think women like us can offer our customers .. flexability.
Smiles.. julie

[Jamie Risdon Lentzner]

Oh Julie - you are such a breath of fresh air and I am not surprised with the economy looking so bleak. Yes, I can tighten my belt a tad, and I have some other exciting things iam working on that I will let everyone know about soon. Thanks so much really - not happy the show was slow, but makes me feel better! Best of luck to you...

[Jamie Risdon Lentzner]

London always there to scrape me off the ground, thanks a bunch!! Yes I know those things and yes I need to just get back on the bike and start again. I think we need to be creative with our minimums and our exisiting accounts in this economy.

[myspace design]

Very interesting post. Hope the business is doing well now