Too busy working IN your business to slow down and work ON it?
Hell, that’s like flying down the highway at mock speed with no time to stop for gas. Doesn’t sound very productive when I put it that way, does it?
I know, I know, it goes completely against the grain of business owners when I tell them we need to slow down…we need to slow the runaway freight train we’re on so we can clearly look at why crazy busy has become a way of life.
Eyes pop, heads tilt and I hear, ‘Are you BLEEPING serious? I can’t do that, I’ll lose all my momentum.”
The thing is, we need to slow down SO THAT WE CAN GAIN MOMENTUM. Efficiently, Effectively AND Intentionally.
Slowing down sounds counter intuitive, I agree, but hear me out.
Yes, we do need to keep our businesses moving. You’ll get no push back from me there, yet we need to pull over for the occasional pit stop and make sure our GPS is up to date…or we’ll run out of fuel and our map will be outdated, then where will we be?
One of the hardest parts of building a financially secure, lifestyle business is periodically putting on the breaks.
Here’s the thing….
Bam! Such true words by a true visionary.
And, keep in mind, simple does not necessarily mean easy…far from it (more on simple vs easy here). If it did we’d all be fit as a fiddle and your mom wouldn’t keep asking you why you don’t call more often (sorry mom, I’ll dial you up as soon as I finish this blog, promise).
TIP: Try a little “Compassionate Investigation’ when a perceived easy task is tripping you up. Let the judgements go and simply be curious about what’s going on.
Beating yourself up with thoughts of ‘why the hell is this so hard for me, what the BLEEP is wrong with me??’ will not help you out here. Trust me on this one, I’ve tried. MANY times and it’s never worked. Ever. Ugh, the stories I could tell you…but that’s an entirely different blog.
Anywho, back to the discussion at hand.
Slowing down so that we can gain clarity on exactly what it is we want from this one big beautiful life is what will clear the way for us to get there.
It’s what makes discerning if a task is important or simply keeping us busy, an easy and quick decision to make.
Think about it this way: when you know your present location and you know where you’re headed, ONLY THEN can you plot the most direct route to get you there. Straight shot, or scenic route. Your choice.
So, make a date with yourself. Schedule a block of uninterrupted time in your week to look deeply at what it is you’re working so damn hard for.
Get crystal clear on the end result you’re investing your most precious commodity (time) in.
Remember, if an action isn’t moving your closer to your goals, it’s moving you further away when you’re spending your time and energy on it.
Be sure to create a calm and inviting space, one that you’ll enjoy spending some time in and feel good about slowing down for. Doesn’t need to be fancy or over the top, simply a space that’s inviting to you.
Do you like flowers? Grab yourself a fabulous little bouquet to set on your desk while you work.
Is music inspiring for you? Put on your favorite artist and dance to get yourself in a state of joy and creativity before getting started. (This one always puts me in a good mood to work OR play)
Does being surrounded by clutter, clutter your mind? Take 15 minutes to clear your work space before jumping in.
Love nature? Get outside and go for a walk…let Mother Nature set the stage for you.
Not sure how to slow down without losing momentum? Give me a shout and let’s set up a free Clarity Call where we’ll look at what’s underlying your busyness and what the challenges are that’s getting in the way of you creating the lifestyle business you’re working so hard to create. Click here to apply.