Balancing your life with a full-time job and a side business doesn’t only sound exhausting….it IS exhausting! All of that can make you feel a little blue. Being overwhelmed by what to focus on and what to leave for a later time can be stressful all on its own. It can also be incredibly fulfilling if you focus and pay attention to the task on hand. Here are some tools that help keep me motivated and energized when I feel like I’m about to tap-out:
- You Dedicate Intentional time to your business: Many of us work full-time from home. Or in my case, part-time and it is all out of my house. My kitchen table to be exact. The place where I eat is the place where I paint. It’s not ideal but I make sure that when I it’s art time, nothing else interferes. If my kitchen table doesn’t offer the space then I leave and find a space. Splitting your attention on two different things (kids and work) can make you feel like you’re failing on one of those fronts. Why set yourself up for failure? Make family time 100% family time and work time the same.
- You leave your business alone: There are times when you need to just BE. I usually find that when I’m lacking in ideas or inspiration it’s because I’m burnt out and just stressing myself out over content. This is when you go take a couple days off, grab a drink and catch up on some netflix. Or, going for a walk, spending time with family can re-energize you in ways you can’t image and then suddenly, you have have way too many ideas to keep up with!
- Evaluate if your business is still something you love: No one wants a job just for the sake of having another one. It’s either out of necessity or passion, sometimes it’s both. I’m fortunate in that art and calligraphy are a passion and what soothes me on a hectic day. If you find that you aren’t happy with that extra side-hustle, re-evaluate. Nothing wrong with redirecting where you want to go. Marie Kondo your life once in a while because we morph and change all the time….. and that’s natural.
- Phone a Friend: There’s a reason the old game show “Who Wants to Be A Millionaire” called one of their hints a ‘life-line’. Reach out to those that know you most, those that you are able to take criticism from and trust that their advice comes from a good place. Your life-lines will let you see what you might be missing. This business can be lonely and you’re funneling your thoughts and ideas alone most of the time. Share them! Two heads are better than one!
These are the ways that I break up the creative entrepreneur blues. We have so many external pressures that it’s natural to feel overwhelmed and uninspired sometimes. I gravitate to these four tools (and in any order really) to help me get back to the core of why I do this. Let me know if you find any of these useful, do you have other things that help you feel ignited to keep going on those not-so-easy days? Please share!!
Con Amor,
Cynthia