The importance of routine as a creative entrepreneur
Living without Routine
For many of us the thought of having no set schedule and doing as we please by running our own creative business is very attractive – after all we are the arty free-spirited types right?! But often the reality is far from ideal, we struggle with procrastination, feelings of overwhelm, as well as guilt at not doing what we think we should. The numerous things we could be doing play through our heads, and often we take no action at all (do listen to my podcasts on common reasons why businesses fail as I delve more into this aspect there).
I was certainly guilty of this in the early days of business, it was so free-ing after being in a corporate environment to work as and when I pleased and be able to take time out whenever I wanted. But as a result my progress lacked direction, momentum, and ultimately it wasn’t bringing me in the clients I needed.
I knew that changes had to be made, and finally I sat down, mapped out the tasks I needed to do, prioritised my work time effectively, devised a schedule, and my business thrived.
Not only that but I built in time to be creative and be inspired by things I found joy in, knowing that I could get the admin and client work done at another time. I was able to spend more time with my family – and not just more, but focussed time with them. No running off to quickly to reply to a message or email. Each and every priority in my life got the time and attention it deserved. It allowed me to feel more confident, to give me back stability, to forward plan with ease, and of course make those all-important sales and bookings.
How to create a routine that works for you
So how do you go about creating a routine that works for you personally? We are all different and work best at different times of day (and night!).
1. First things first, look at the hours in the week, when do you work best? Early morning, evenings, middle of the day?
2. When can you work? Block out the things you have to do like school runs, walking the dog, preparing meals, sleeping.
3. With the hours you have to work when do you prefer to do certain tasks? I like doing things that need a lot of concentration first thing in the morning, eg client work, emails, photo editing. Things like social media I can do effectively in the afternoons when I find my attention waning as I can break it down into small tasks that I don’t have to focus on for hours at a time. By Friday I need an injection of creativity so I schedule as many Friday afternoons just doing the things that feed my artistic sensibilities (regardless of whether or not they are work related).
4. Consider whether you prefer to do a little of everything every day, or if you prefer to have days making/creating and days doing business-related tasks.
5. If you struggle to focus for long periods of time then you might want to consider 15 minute time blocks, if you’re like me and you prefer to be able to finish tasks in one sitting then opt for 30 minute to 2 hour time blocks.
How to Split your Time up
Write down all the tasks you have to do, eg
admin
emails
client work
client calls
social media
blog posts
email newsletters
content creation
packaging/shipping orders
Then assign them to the time blocks you feel best suit your own working patterns. Everyone’s will be different, we all work differently, have different tasks and different priorities. Devising a schedule that suits you is vital. Otherwise you simply won’t find it beneficial, or stick to it.
Give it Time to Work
Once you have your schedule, give it time to work it’s magic. Initially you might find it constraining or difficult to stick to, but any routine or habit can take weeks to become ingrained and become useful. I recommend doing it consistently for 6 weeks or more before making any changes or tweaks.
Make sure it’s achievable though – remember to include things like exercise (I walk the dog at set times) or rest periods (for instance do you like having a proper lunch break and time away from a screen). You don’t have to fill every hour of every day with a home or work task. You need the freedom to do other things too like see friends. Self care is so much easier when you have a routine. You’re not forgotten at the bottom of the ‘to do’ list.