Doula Business Advisor: Happy New Year!

Let’s set some goals for our doula and mother-baby businesses for 2011! It’s my nature to be a planner, so I’ve always been a big fan of New Year’s resolutions. This past year, I decided to finish and publish my book, The Doula Business Guide-Creating a Successful MotherBaby Business and I am happy to report that I achieved that goal. How did I do it? I simply made up my mind that I would focus on the job until I got it done.

Believe me, many distractions came my way, including a major home renovation to create a basement apartment (with bathroom and egress window) for my son and his pregnant wife. Then there was the birth of the baby in June. My mother, who just turned 94 last month, is in an advanced state of dementia and lives about an hour from me. And my husband’s dad (the much beloved “Buddy”) has been severely ill and is dying. As I work from home and now have an adorable newborn in the house, I have plenty of opportunities to get off track from business goals. Sometimes, despite our best intentions, life throws us some curve balls. So, how do we keep our eye on the ball, so to speak, and stay on track with our professional agenda?

First off, I don’t really have a choice. I need the income and failure is not an option. At 58, I don’t want to start a new career. For me, this is it. Second, to be achievable, goals must be specific (“I will finish and publish my book before the year is done.”). Third, there must be a plan for reaching the goal (“I will get up early every morning during weekdays and write for at least two hours.”). Fourth, safeguard your plan. For me, this meant literally shutting the door, letting the answering machine pick up the phone, and resisting all temptations to hop over to email or Facebook during my two hours. It’s called time blocking. For doulas who are moms with small children in the home, achieving your goals might require time blocking in conjunction with child care.

There is a syndrome that my friend, a self-employed free-lance writer calls “dusting the blinds.” This syndrome takes hold when sitting down to engage a task and you suddenly notice how dusty your blinds are, grasping wildly at anything other than engaging the dreaded procrastinated task at hand. I try to approach work in the same way that I do my exercise regime. If I start entertaining the question “am in in the mood …?” then I know I’m in trouble. Just do it.

Goals are not the same thing as wishes or hopes (“I hope I win the lottery.” “I wish the economy would get better so more folks would hire doulas.”). “I will double my income in 2011″ is a goal.

The Doula Business Advisor blog is designed to support the establishment and long-term sustainability of private doula businesses. Patty Brennan is the author of The Doula Business Guide: Creating a Successful MotherBaby Business.

Posted by Patty Brennan on January 4, 2011 • Filed under Doula Business Advisor
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