Lix Hewett

Diaries

Weekly Wishes: The Backlog Plan (And Money)

posted on October 6, 2014

backlog-plan-photo-2-3

(Click for bigger. I’m redesigning to accommodate 900px-wide photos soon, I swear.)

Last Week

 
I finished writing up my Backlog Plan (read more about that here) and promptly came down with the flu, or an evil cold of evil, or something. I wasn’t going to take a break but then my body took it for me. I was in bed for a good thirty-six hours with two breaks to pee and hydrate. I managed to pay rent through a pounding headache, went to bed at 8 AM at least twice and pulled two all-nighters.

The flu went like: pounding headache and congestion (Sunday) > full-on am-I-dying-I-want-my-mommy-here (Monday) > blocked airways and headache (Tuesday) > uncontrollable painful coughing and headache (Wednesday) > uncontrollable snot monster coughing (Thursday & Friday) > occasional headache and milder snot monster coughing (Saturday). Yesterday — er, Saturday, I started feeling a little better, so I sent out some emails. Cut off some inches of my hair. (Stay tuned for that post.) Stayed up all night because I couldn’t sleep, and in the morning I wasn’t coherent enough to do anything involving other people, so I tidied/reorganized my room so I could shoot some stuff. Which I did. Shoot stuff. And then I edited the pics at Starbucks.

It didn’t make my photography backlog plan any smaller, but it didn’t make it any bigger by getting to those photos straight away. And hey, my backlog plan is trifold: photography AND design AND blog — so I get to strike quite a few things off the list. And have material for a number of posts ready.

Now if I could just make a proper schedule and stick to it. I made one for last week and accomplished Weekly Wishes; Harassment and Coercion in the Creative Industry for Marielle and Kiersten‘s The F Word link-up; a portion of a post I’ve been kicking around my head featuring paper bits that make me happy, this one on my Printrbook; and… I shared photography, which wasn’t on the list, but can never hurt. Fashion/outfit pictures with Leigh from Fox and Feather, and photos from a walk around Crouch End in June — many available to purchase as prints on Etsy now. I love sharing my work here and I want to do more of it, especially with the design stuff.

Today

 
I was hoping to have this post up a little earlier today, but my sleep schedule had other plans. Which I probably knew about before I went to sleep, because I always oversleep, and I always oversleep harder if I didn’t sleep the night before.

Anyway, I’m here now. At Starbucks, taking advantage of the hour and a half before closing I was up for, sipping on a warm latte because my throat needed something substantial and hot. I may have to switch back from decaf cappuccino to normal coffee and milk like I had for breakfast in Spain. It always set my throat right.

I woke up to a bit of a shake — someone asking for a refund I wouldn’t be able to dispute if they went for it, a reminder that I need to pay the remainder on my hosting plan asap, and the people of Shooting Beauty reminding me that I’m several months past due. I signed a 12-month contract and regretted it immediately, and I just… don’t have the money. I can pay rent today and I may be able to make enough for bills on Friday — have to, somehow, not sure how yet — and then I’m dry. And I need to pay rent again on Monday.

And I need a coat shipped to me as soon as humanly possible, because the weather’s just said fuck it and gone straight into cold. At least I have good central heating.

It’s the money woes you’re here for, right? You come in for the pretty pics and stay for the money woes. I know. My mess of a financial life is fascinating. (That was all sarcasm, but I’m sure some people do find it interesting, and I share because I need to and for awareness — I am this poor. Really. I have no disposable income. Really.)

Weekly Wishes

 
[1] Well — see the photo above? That’s two pages of a three-page photography backlog to-do list. Then there’s a page of design backlog, and two of blogging backlog. Then miscellaneous stuff. I also used the notebook in between those pages to hash out the new categories for my blog — I’m happy with what I’ve come up with, and I’m already starting to instate them, to an extent.

[2] I just need to redesign the blog. I’ve been compiling ideas…

[3] Content-wise, I resolve to share:

1 outfit
1 piece of design work

this week.

[4] I received my final website (for new readers or people who don’t commit the random crap I spout off to memory: I won a giveaway for a website back in April, when I’d just moved to London) on Friday, and I was so sick that I had a major freakout that I wasn’t going to get it to look like I wanted and oh god oh god oh fuck, but now I’m feeling better and willing to put in the work. With them. Like, with them as I go. They have training specialists and whatnot, I will be fine, but I need to be handheld for this.

The thing is that even if the final result isn’t my ideal website, it will be a lot better than not having a website. It will allow me to sell things on my own terms, without listing fees, and it will allow me to sell stock photography. The team behind AmeriCommerce did a lot of work and, although it took forever and it would have been much quicker if I’d known the person I was working with was just doing mock-ups without much of an eye towards development, because then I would have designed the thing myself, we got there. And it really is a mammoth of a site.

[5] I’d like to put together an ideal income and various ways to achieve it every month. I’ve been kicking that idea around in my head for a while and it’s time to make it happen. I also got YNAB (You Need A Budget) off Stephanie and I’m LOVING it, though the whole ‘oh, you didn’t budget for this, you’re over budget’ thing bugs me a bit because yeah, okay, I know, I don’t get a massive paycheck, I live small sale to small sale. But the goal is to live on last month’s income, and what do you know, that is my goal too! Also it doesn’t crash when you enter expense info like Excel does. Basically, I’m into it and committed to using it every day. Thanks, Steph!

I’m also determined to get back to some people, and write two (2) articles for Photodoto. And, of course, keep playing catch-up on that backlog.

Wish me luck!

What do you do when you fall behind on something? Do you have a system in place, do you tackle it straight on, take it step by step? What’s worked for you in the past?

And of course, how was your week, and what are your plans for the new one?

  • (stopping by from the linkup)

    Ohhh girl, I feel ya on the budgeting. I’m terrible at it too, and have been lucky that things have worked out so far — but I’m working on the same stuff this week and trying to get my finances in line. It’s hard and it sucks but you can do it!!

  • Annabel

    Such a good idea for a post! And I am glad the flu has shifted a bit. I seriously need to sort out a budgeting plan as well, I just bury my head in the sand!

    Annabel ♥
    Mascara & Maltesers

    • Thanks! Yeah, budgeting is… difficult. I don’t know how much I’m going to make in a month, and it scares me to say, okay, I can spend £160 on groceries and Starbucks this month when I don’t yet know where the money’s going to come from. But gotta fake it, I think.

  • I’ve gotten a lot better at budgeting since graduating college but I’m still no expert! Whenever I fall behind in work, I try to make a list and order it by priority and try to get it done in that order <3

    • I hadn’t thought of doing another list, prioritized. That’s actually an AWESOME idea. Thank you!

  • Good luck with your goals! Can’t wait to see your latest design projects. :)

    • Thank you! They’re all so old I don’t know that I can even call them ‘latest’ anymore as I’m working on more! But they neeeeed to be shared.

  • I am way behind on posts! I went to Italy and Paris in May and still haven’t finished the posts! I usually tackle things right away but right now I am just in procrastination mode and need to just get on it! I write a lot of notes and to do’s, mainly blog maintenance and post ideas – it is never-ending!

    • I moved to London in late April and I still have SO much content from my first week…and first month…and really from the whole past five months that I haven’t shared yet. I even have two outfits to share from that first week! And I want to contact brands because I NEED sponsored content to help with my finances, and that stresses me out even more. But one step at a time. Or maybe one of these days I’ll set aside time blocks and just write my heart out. It’s just hard to plan those because I never know when the words are going to flow and when I’m going to be staring at the screen, fighting off the urge to pull my eyebrows. (Er, I have trich. Idle hands = bad.)

  • These are some great goals! Good luck!

  • I am way behind on my posting schedule – and I feel guilty because some of them are for products that were given to me to review. It’s a little overwhelming… but I just take it one at a time. check off to do’s as I go!

    • Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. Good luck. :)

  • My blog to-do list is 22 posts long. I try not to think of the big picture and truck along, but man it’s overwhelming. Best of luck to you <3

    • Haha, my blog post idea list that I wrote AGES ago is 23 posts long! I’m totally not writing most of those now though. But there are many that I do need to write. I haven’t made a proper list of them yet. I want to do that soon and see if I can do some prioritizing. Thanks!

  • Great post!! When I am behind I sometimes get so stressed out and frusterated. It then usually leads me into an anxiety attack so I am trying to calm down and not stress. When I am having a day where there is just too much going on, I try to take a few minutes to just lay down and relax

    • I’m trying to take better care of myself like that, too, as someone who also suffers from anxiety. Trying to take time to do fandom things, read, relax. I’m feeling better this week, just need to keep it up.

  • that sounds really awful. i hope you feel better soon! i try not to get too stressed out when i’m behind and put together my 3 daily most important tasks.. and just simplifying that way helps me a lot.

    • I always have an awful load of trouble when I try to do that. I’ll start with three and then keep adding and can’t prioritize. :( But I think I’m going to do a bit of prioritizing anyway, even if it’s just rewriting my lists in that order.

  • Good luck with your goals and congratulations finishing your backlog project.

  • Erica

    I too am behind on posts, but that is the last thing I need to stress about, haha. You have some great goals, you will get there!

    • Thank you! My work and my blog sort of go hand in hand so it’s important to me to stay consistent and continue to promote my design and photography work through here.

  • Good luck with your goals! I recently redesigned my blog and it was much needed. It makes such a difference!

    • Thank you and yes, it really does! I can’t wait to have mine all done up. (I actually enjoy the process, too, it’s just hard to justify taking time for it when I’ve got so much to do for clients.)

  • good luck with your goals! I just had my site redone and love it

    • Thank you! It always invigorates you to do more and be better when you love your space, doesn’t it?

  • Sounds like you have a lot to do. I always find that taking one thing at a time and using a to-do list is the easiest way to get things done for me.

    • I’m trying my best to do that now that I’ve written out everything that needs to get done. I feel a little less overwhelmed, for starters! One step at a time.

  • Girl, your to-do list is looking a lot like mine! LONG! Good luck getting through everything! :)

    • Ha, you should see the rest of it. ;) Thank you! You too!

  • Carly Anderson

    The flu is no fun at all. :( I feel like I am majorly behind with things right now, too. I’m just taking things step by step and getting them done as soon as I can.

    • I’m trying to do that, too. Just having a proper list is helping a lot, though I wish I could focus on that at all times without money worries crawling up and throwing me off every five minutes.

  • Good luck!!! You’ll make it. Where there’s a will, there’s a way! You’ll be fine. If you’re determined, you’ll be able to accomplish what you dream of!

    But first up, get yourself to the docs!!! They’ll at least get you fighting fit again!

    Katie <3

    • Thank you! That’s really not true for me as someone with mental health issues, but I’m doing my best.

  • Neely

    Good luck this is awesome!!

  • For months even the thought of making a list was overwhelming. I’m still amazed I got that bit done. Now if I could catch up by my birthday like I resolved to in my 25 Before 25 list, that would be amazing.

  • Lana LeFevre

    Hang in there. You can get it done!

  • Wishing you luck with your articles. It’s great to be busy!

  • Fiona Naughton

    Good luck completing your weekly wishes. I want a blog redesign too, it’s time for a change!

  • I’m with you on the needing a new blog design! Sometimes it’s so hard to sit down and do it! Hang in there, you’ll get everything done in time!

  • Ayana Pitterson

    Wishing you all the luck in pulling this off! You have at least the foundation – a great plan! Now, it’s the execution that can be tricky at times. Don’t lose hope. Just keep moving.
    Thrifting Diva
    http://www.thriftingdiva.com

  • songbirdsandbuttons

    Ugh, the flu is so awful! Sorry you got sick!

  • Alex

    Aw I am sorry you got the flu! Hopefully things will get better(:

  • Yikes! I hope you’re feeling better this week <3 I am definitely checking out YNAB because I keep trying to make one and SUCKING. Habits. I suck at them

  • Hope you’re feeling better this week! Good luck with all your goals, hang in there!

  • Mandi Kane

    The flu ruins everything. I have had many ambitious endeavors sabotaged by my immune system. Hope you’re feeling better now.

    • It really does suck. I only get sick once a year but it’s so inconvenient!