Today is "Work at Home Wednesday." I will be live streaming on Periscope (because that's the only way Periscope works) each Wednesday at 2 p.m. CST.

Last week we discussed Avoiding emergencies as a work at home mom. So I thought I would share the highlights of that with you?

I am really loving these Work at Home Wednesday questions. You are all so wonderful and thoughtful in your work and your questions.

A few weeks ago during my live scope someone asked "Can you talk about dealing with emergencies during your work day?"

My number one piece of advice is to avoid emergencies at all costs. As both a mom and a business owner your time is precious. Value it. Protect it.

1. Don't over schedule your day.

If you have a doctor's appointment and 1,000 errands then today is NOT the day to schedule a conference call or meet with a client. Today is not the day to schedule a dress fitting or a tutoring session or whatever your business is.

2. Create a little margin in your day.

This is SOOO much easier said than done and will require a little trial and error to get quite right. But try to create a chunk of your day when nothing is scheduled. Maybe it's before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m. But create a time in your day when you don't have a playdate, or a client Skype call.

This gives you a chance to play catch up .

3. Set reasonable deadlines.

If I am asked to draft a launch plan for a clients new book, I am not going to tell a client she can have it in two days. I am going to give myself a week.

If you know you have a big project, job, or order give yourself MORE time than you will need to complete it.

4. Have a catchup day.

Have one day a week that you don't schedule things. For me it is Monday. We usually don't leave our house on Monday.

This is the day to catch up on both home and business things. It's the day the washing machine doesn't stop running and the day I catch up on emails, blog posts, videos and client projects.

5. Don't procrastinate.

We create emergencies when we don't prepare. This is SO hard for me. My house is basically procrastination station. I have to work really hard to get into a routine and stay there.

But when you put off getting things done that's when emergencies arise.

What about you? What are your tips for preventing emergencies?

Featured