It’s time you manage your peace while minding your business. You are the best thing you can offer the world – did you know that? Not your freebie, mailing list, product, IG reels or consultations. It’s you – the brain behind the business and the body you ride in that takes an idea to make a reality. With your super creative ideas, impeccable time management skills and ability to apply action; nothing moves until you move. So many creatives struggle to take time for themselves. You can build a website in a week, speak in front of hundreds… yet, nothing in that color coordinated schedule says “Me Time,” “Rest,” “Off” or “Break.”
How to Manage Your Peace While Minding Your Business
That changes NOW!
Before you make quarter goals, plan content and gear up for 2021, let’s look at 7 ways you can manage your peace while minding your business to implement seasons of rest in your new year schedule.
Start your morning with you
First things first, let’s redefine your relationship with time and busy. I get it. You are a busy creative. If you could, you would snap your fingers to make 24 hours 26. Don’t we all crave extra time in a day? What you have is 24 hours. You get to make the most of it. How you start your day is how you finish. Before you have to be the entrepreneur, parent, coworker, etc., put your effort into being the best version of yourself. Create the foundation to withstand the many tasks of the day. Start your morning doing activities that bring you peace.
When I hear people struggle over how to prioritize self care in the morning, I ask “what are you already doing?” Setting a morning routine has little to do with making new habits and more to do with optimizing your A.M. habits.
Ask yourself, “what would an ideal GREAT start to my day look like?” “What am I already doing that I can optimize?”
Something like:
- Take intentional breaths as you do your hair. (Breath work)
- Reach for water instead of your phone. (Limit distractions/ Replenish body)
- Recite affirmations when you shower. (Manifest the life you want to lead)
- Dance to your favorite wake up song. (Set your joy)
As you settle into creating a morning routine that works for you, remember, this is FOR YOU. You can’t be everything to everyone and no one to yourself. Allow this practice to be an awakening, a reflection; acceptance to the here and now. It provides space to turn off your thinking and BE. At the start of your day, be well, ready and rested.
Stop, look, listen (Grounding technique to manage your peace while minding your business)
Some things you can’t plan for (even with an online meeting scheduler). Even with a morning routine of steel, things pop up. You are up, active and ready to jam out when your website goes down, you lose a client or worst… money! You need a break.
I encourage grounding techniques to bring you back to center. In a quiet corner, car or office, sit for five minutes of rest. Set a timer, lengthen your spine, breathe to tune out the noise to tune into self.
Count:
-
- 5 things you can see
- 4 things you can hear
- 3 things you can touch
- 2 things you can smell
- 1 thing you can taste
Repeat as often as you need for as long as you need. Create space during the busyness of any day to pause.
Give your body what it needs when it needs it
Your body is talking to you. That rumbly tummy means you’re hungry. Cotton mouth is telling you to drink water. Frustration with a coworker indicates a conversation needs to be had. When I say “give your body what it needs when it needs it,” I’m telling you to listen. When your body says it needs something- act intentionally to continue being your best self.
No matter the time of the day, ask yourself “how am I?” and “what do I need to keep going?” If social media is draining you, take time off the apps. Writer’s block is a sign you need time to get the words again.
Do what you have to do for yourself.
Put non-negotiables in your calendar -> Schedule intentional “Me Time” to Manage Your Peace while minding your business
This year, figure out what really matters for you. Just like your mission, vision and values for business, you need similar principles for your personal life. Having set 2021 principles will guide how you make meaning of situations and honor promises to yourself. Having core principles are guiding posts for empowered decisions and control over things that matter.
What are non negotiables?
Non-negotiables are the things you will not negotiate on. They follow your personal values and principles to define what you will and won’t accept from others and yourself. I like to call them “deal breakers,” the promises you keep to yourself that are set with boundaries.
“Me Time” should be a non negotiable.
Monkey Mind: “I don’t have time for Me Time.”
Clear Head: “I use my time wisely and well. I exercise order in my life. I let things have their place, even “Me Time.”
Monkey Mind: “I don’t know what to do with free time.”
Clear Head: “I allow myself to do nothing with a guilt free mindset that honors rest.”
Monkey Mind: “Something is going to take me away from ‘Me Time.'”
Clear Head: “I am worthy and deserving of setting and maintaining boundaries that serve me.”
As you set your calendars to plug in “Me Time” remember that HoneyBook can play a vital role in how you allocate time to business and self. It helps creative entrepreneurs and freelancers book more clients, manage projects and get paid all in one place. Setting up systems to automate business processes with client workflow automation software creates ease so “Me Time” can be more accessible. Add it as a task and share amongst your team so that everyone is aware of the promise you set to prioritize self care.
Make time for meaningful connections
As an entrepreneur, you interact with people every day in person and virtually. As such, it’s an obvious aspect of your responsibilities. In 2021, maximize those connections to serve you and your peace as you pause to rest and show up for joy and fun.
No one wants to be around someone who is all work and no play. We were taught to chase the American dream and work hard, but this year, you get to work smarter – not harder. Start with the people in your life. Make time to cultivate connections with people. Build and maintain authentic relationships as a strategic discipline that can yield a number of benefits.
How to Build and Maintain Relationships
- Opt for a phone call instead of text.
- Instead of saying ‘Happy Birthday’ on Facebook, send a card or call.
- Set daily office hours to connect with friends and family.
- When you ask “How are you?” create space for people to answer authentically.
- Create conversation starters you can use to facilitate relationships.
**Key to Success: Make non work related meaningful connections
Let others be there for you
This one might be hard so take a deep breath as you allow others to show up for you. Yes, you! The same creative to show up for others deserves support in return. If someone asks to help you, give them a task. If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask for it. Accept you don’t have to do everything. Delegate, automate and use HoneyBook’s client management software for small businesses to take things off your plate.
Create space for things that matter.
*whispers* Like one hour “Me Time” or Grounding Techniques
Appreciate the fruit of your labor
Once you re-evaluate your relationship to time, busy and business, you create space for abundance that is rightfully for you.
It takes:
- Tuning out the noise.
- Minding your business.
- Managing your peace.
- Being well.
- Listening to your body.
- Putting forth action.
You are taking ideas to bring to reality. It’s that simple but it’s also magic. YOUR SUPER POWER. Pause to appreciate the fruit of your labor. That doesn’t mean waiting for the finished product, the sale or congratulations. Appreciate every aspect of your business from the idea, process, completion and recognition. Celebrate small wins.
Pause the monkey mind.
Rest easy knowing you are in alignment with everything that is for you. Creating the life designed for you means preparing your body to be a receipt of all the things you ask for. You are powerful.
Live like no one else to one day live like no one else.
That is how you manage your peace while minding your business. You start with you.
