As a creative entrepreneur, something that I rely on is creative inspiration on a continuous basis. And something that I am deathly afraid of is burnout. So how do we keep both of these elements that are so conjugal to the entrepreneurs life in a place of effective harmony? One simple answer: Routine.
But ask any creative and one the number one things they postulate to despise the most is routine. Most creatives and entrepreneurs say things like “I like to do something different, something new every single day. Having routine bores me!” Yet, secretly, we crave it.
Secretly, we wish that someone (obviously not us) would help us create some processes and routines into our daily lives. We quietly recognize that developing processes gives our entrepreneurial spirit the space, time and freedom to actually indulge in the creative process which often involves DOING NOTHING. Even Albert Einstein said “Creativity is the residue of time wasted.”
This is where creative entrepreneurs sometimes feel like we are being lazy. Living in a world that’s running on adrenalin, where everyone is doing, doing, doing; DOING NOTHING almost feels like a crime. Yet it’s an essential part of the creative process. How often have you had a fantastic idea while dozing, in the shower, going for a walk or run? Oftentimes, it’s in the time and space that happens around the actual “work” in which creativity thrives.
And in order to have that DOING NOTHING time and space in our lives, we need one element that does feels foreign to the creatives’ nature: processes and routine. This means that all the boring yet essential things that need to be done get done, within the daily realms of our existence, leaving plenty of time to just be. To just be, ponder life and allow that creativity to arise from within.
Instead of feeling scattered and lazy, mixed with moments of panicked work resolving those daily concerns, followed by questionable moments of inspired creativity, our secret desire for routine allows us to take time to actually be the creatives that we are born to be. It’s those regular, unvarying, unimaginative things that create space for creativity to flourish.
Now, if you’re anything like me, you’re probably wondering how the hell you create a process or routine for the daily tasks that need to get done, without falling off your home office / sofa without yawns of boredom. This is what a very talented photographer once taught me:
1. Take a sheet of paper and write down all the main tasks that you complete each day.
2. Cross out the tasks that have the least impact on your business on a daily basis until you have only 5 tasks left.
3. Schedule those 5 tasks into your daily calendar or to-do list.
4. Pass the rest of the tasks onto someone else, or schedule to do them only once per week.
Remember to keep this task as simple and easy as possible, otherwise your inner creative may loudly groan and force you to leave this little process to create more routine and thereby more space to do what you love and be creative behind, before you can blink.
I feel as if this post is what I’ve been TRYING to write the last couple of weeks, I think more of “nothing” exactly what I need to get my creative juices pumping again. x
Haha! Sometimes I feel like these are the type of posts that I like writing the least but that everyone needs to hear the most! How to deal with the deliciously creative confusion that is being an entrepreneur :) I am haven’t got all the answers but I am starting the figure it how these things work. At last! x
I could kiss you for this post! Thank you so much. This is exactly what I needed to read at EXACTLY the right time.
I am a creative. I like to wake up every morning and ‘check in’ with my feelings and intuition before I go out into the world to see what marvellous inspiration is out there. From that feeling/intuition/inspiration, I create. It might be wellness plans, blog posts, tweets, pictures or updates for my facebook page. Whatever it is I like for those ideas & creativity to flow organically, shying away from the rigidity of routine. BUT I’m finding myself panicking on days when inspiration is lacking & I am forcing myself to get creative and feeling like I am just not doing enough!! This is where my beautiful sister steps in. She has been encouraging me to write a plan to get some of my immediate ideas for my health coaching work down on paper & creating ideas/posts around those. In creating this plan/routine I no longer panic about the lack of inspiration & in fact have more time for inspiration to naturally come to me. Often, like you say, when I’m exercising or in the shower or seemingly switched off from my business. This post has just reminded me to keep with the routine because it serves me so well. We really do secretly crave routine & I for one am very grateful for it! Thank you for the lovely reminder, Vienda. With love, Katie x
Katie darling, I am so happy that you resonate with my words! It’s so exciting when we realise that there can be some method in the madness, haha :) what methods do you use to create some routine and processes into your business, specifically?
Right now I have this big beautiful note pad with each weeks work/intentions written down 3 weeks in advance. This accumulation of ideas/topics and sweet plans allows me to relax a little knowing I’m on top of my game. Being a few weeks ahead of myself gives me the space to get creative & allows inspiration to flow more freely. Take this evening for example, I already know what I’m going to share on my fb page for Sunday’s post but I was suddenly moved to write about the energy & power of the Sunday night Super Moon! I have since written that post & will keep the originally intended post for another time, adding to my back catalogue!
In terms of working with clients, I have only just began my wellness coaching work so have just 2 wonderful clients who I will be working with next week! That routine is yet to be fully established as I need to get a ‘feel’ for things and allow my intuition to guide me. I feel very fortunate to have realised the benefits of a routine so early on and hope, over time that my planning, routine & consistency will grow ever stronger to support my creativity & spontaneity! That will bring me so much happiness!
What about your routine, Vienda? Will you share some of your processes?
Wishing you love, light & a happy super moon! x
Thank you so much for sharing gorgeous Katie! x