Entrepreneurship Diaries 001

"You are only as good as your last...."

It can seem like stagnation will put you on the road to failure when you’re in business. While that may be true, it’s not the full picture. A lack of rest can also lead to your demise. This is where finding "balance" comes in (which I think is a fake concept, at times).

Story Time

Since I started my first business back in 2018, I have struggled with taking time to rest. My mind runs 1,000 miles per hour! There are always new ideas I want to test out, new products I want to create, a new business I want to form, and the list goes on. There is this little voice in my head that tells me I need to do more and that I can do more. In reality, I don't and I can't. My clients can tell you that I call myself "the Queen of Doing Too Much." I gave myself this title because I am always working on something new. In business, you want to improve because you can become extinct if you aren't getting with the times (look what happened to Blockbuster 🙁).

I have recently been dealing with burnout and realized I needed a reset. I started making some changes in my personal and professional life.

I took my first real vacation since 2018 in early June 2022. Side note: I have taken vacations over the years but I would still answer DMs, respond to emails, and book appointments for new or current clients. Even in the midst of the pandemic, I was working full time in corporate America and did some work with Finally Loc'd to be prepared for when outside would open again. Before going on my trip I logged out of my business email, I logged out of my business instagram, I turned off all Facebook business notifications, and left my business phone on airplane mode at home. Completely unplugging allowed me to really enjoy the small things. I decided to cut back my work schedule so that I would work only 4 days a week (Tues - Fri) and could enjoy my weekend.

In Conclusion

Any business you start will need a lot of your attention, but you should also plan time for yourself. Self-care is important to give you the energy to pour back into your business. Plan time for self care and also plan time for researching/working on new ideas. When you have those creative ideas that you think will take your business to the next level, WRITE IT DOWN. Make sure to take detailed notes so you will remember what your thought process was. This way, you can come back to it later during the time you plan for researching and working on new ideas.

Words of Advice to New Entrepreneurs

Plan your business for the life you want to live, not the life you currently live. Your business will require a lot from you in the beginning. Make the changes to find your equilibrium and you won't be on the road to burnout like me.

P.S. I am still a work in progress.