10 Life Lessons from my Bestie
Running a creative business can be immensely rewarding but as I’m sure those in a similar situation will agree, it can also be exhausting. It was highlighted to me during a workshop organised by the Crafts Council last year that as a one woman band I am:
· The administrator.
· The book keeper.
· The design team.
· The marketing and PR department.
· The project management team.
· The production line.
It is no use having a business with nothing to sell. My products can take weeks and even months to design and create so I really need to invest enough time in the production line. Equally having lots of stock taking up storage space under the bed won’t work. If there is no sales and marketing process in place how will potential customers ever see it?
With so many hats to wear and juggle it is no surprise that trying to fulfil all of these roles in a finite number of hours per week can lead to unhealthy behaviours such as lack of sleep, skipping meals and putting off exercise. It can also create feelings of overwhelm and underachievement, and overhanging it all, a veil of guilt as friends and family are neglected for the ever growing “to do” list.
Help is out there
This year I have tried very hard to find a way of improving my time management while creating more realistic expectations for myself by enlisting the help of two excellent on line communities: Makelight run by husband and wife team Emily Quinton and Stef Lewandowski, and The Maker’s Yearbook run by fine art photographer Nicola Taylor. I have learnt so much from these knowledgeable and generous folks, and also from the experiences of and interaction with other members of the groups. However, keeping up with an online community also takes time and planning. When seeking the support of like minded individuals seems like just another thing to add to an already over full day there is one other person I can rely on closer to home to help me prioritise and set me back on track with her no nonsense example of getting the best out of every day.
Since working from home my Bestie, Sas, has become my Life Coach. I have learnt so much from observing and experiencing her daily routine that I thought it might be helpful to you if I shared some of the important lessons she has taught me over the past couple of years about work/life balance and how to approach that never ending to do list.
Ten suggestions for avoiding overwhelm
1. If you can’t eat it or chase it, let it go.
2. The most important thing to be doing is the thing you are doing now.
3. If it’s worth doing it’s worth doing with lots of enthusiasm (this includes sleeping).
4. Be genuine and don’t attempt to please everybody as no matter how hard you try some people will always prefer cats.
5. Never underestimate the power of a nap.
6. Going for a run in the fresh air makes everything better.
7. Don’t avoid the puddles. Jump right in with your mouth open and get thoroughly wet and muddy. You will always dry out later and mud comes off eventually.
8. When it is warm outside take a few minutes to lie on the grass and listen to the birds.
9. Don’t overuse the vacuum cleaner, that thing will suck out your soul!
10. The only thing really worth worrying about is dinner.
While these koans look like something you might find in a self help book, Sas, my Life Coach, is actually my 10 year young Weimaraner (for those unfamiliar with the breed they are large, beige coloured gun dogs with huge personalities). While taking advice from a dog of little brain might not be the answer to everything, I think some of her canine philosophies are worth mulling over. Observing her behaviour has definitely helped me to reprioritise when I feel overwhelmed and underachieved.
Spending time with a dog also helps me to reconnect with that all important notion of play being the source of creativity and gets me out in the fresh air on a daily basis (so important when it is very easy to sit all day at the computer in PJs).
And finally, there must be something of worth in her approach to life the universe and everything as this dog doesn’t know how to sweat the small stuff and is probably the happiest being I know.
If you are interested in reading more about life with a Weimaraner, further musings can be found on my blog Dramaraner.wordpress.com.
