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As an entrepreneur, it can be difficult to navigate the responsibilities of running a business while still leaving room for creativity. The everyday responsibilities of running a business can overwhelm your bandwidth and hold you back from innovation. Here are two strategies to help you snip the unnecessary weights holding you back from creative freedom.
Related: 5 Ways to Jump-Start Your Creativity — Even When It's Running Low
Letting go
Unpack your to-do list and consider letting go of what is no longer serving your success. Taking the time to reassess the day's priorities can save you from feeling overwhelmed by future obligations. When I start my day, I concentrate on what my team needs from me to keep projects moving forward. If there is a task that needs my approval, I make it a priority so my team can continue their work.
Add a sense of urgency to responsibilities that are most integral to today's schedule. By prioritizing certain tasks, you can release unnecessary weight from your day and free up more time and space for creative thinking.
Don't be afraid to delegate tasks to your team. As an entrepreneur, it can feel like you are the only person who can do the job. But this isn't true. If a project can be outsourced to someone else, trust that your team has got your back. Being legally blind, I've had to rely on others to be the eyes on projects that I cannot see. What some may consider a disability has allowed me to organically grow my business by sharing projects with others.
Outsourcing projects can also lead to a higher quality of work. More eyes on a project ensures tasks are handled with greater care and attention to detail. Plus, you never know when a team member might have an innovative solution.
Learn to let go of projects and ideas when necessary. As an entrepreneur, it's important to gain the skills necessary to know when to move on. Notice when you are continuously hitting a brick wall and either let go or pivot and start from scratch.
When I am evaluating a campaign for my business, I track the number of successes along with the times when no results were converted. I turn those results over to a professional with more skill than me and stay humble while they report on the campaign's potential. Allowing room for others to point out your blind spots is essential to the growth of your business.
Talking through the project with another professional helps hold you accountable and acknowledge when a project has run its course. Retiring an idea is not a sign of failure. It's only from a place of raw truth that you can bounce back and soar higher than before.
Looking ahead
When you feel weighed down by responsibilities, visualizing your future success can help you maintain a positive mindset. You want to taste, smell, see, hear, and touch what it will be like to attain your ultimate goals.
It can be easy to fall into the trap of negative thinking, but it's essential to protect your mind by choosing hope and resiliency. Try stating words of affirmation or embodying mantras that feed your heart and vision to keep a positive mindset.
My visualization is that I consider my mind as a neighborhood. There is no trash on the sidewalk or bars on the windows. The streets are clean and full of enthusiastic energy. I allow the momentum of this vision to surge into the words I speak, the actions I take, and the results I achieve.
Through visualization, you help shape your thoughts into positive actions. Take time every day to refocus on hope and resilience to help you overcome obstacles and achieve success. Even the best idea can get derailed by circumstances. Reassess your goals on a quarterly or annual basis to make room for any necessary adjustments to your budget, staff or vendors. There is always room for growth and for embracing new ideas.
I've learned to make education a priority in my business. I embrace workshops and partner with experts to constantly expand my skill set. But it's up to me to turn that knowledge into action. By reassessing, I give my goals the wings they need to fly. Create a vision board to put out into the universe what you want to achieve. This can be pictures that remind you of your goals taped to your refrigerator or having a dedicated space in your office for images that motivate you.
When I discuss my business, I talk about it like it's a person. I give it legs and eyes and breathe life into it. I visualize my business growing from a toddler to a teenager to an adult. This helps me better understand its journey and advocate for it when I share my goals with others. Personifying your business can help you gain motivation to achieve your goals. Allowing yourself to visualize your future success opens your mind up to new possibilities and helps you stay creative amidst the responsibilities of your business.
Related: Vision Boards: A Powerful Tool for Achieving Your Goals
Conclusion
Snipping the weights that hold you down frees you from unnecessary stress. By delegating and learning to let go of projects, you invite more room for innovation into your business. As an entrepreneur, it can often feel like all the responsibility falls on you. Trust in your team to lift some weight off your shoulders to allow your business to grow. Use visualization techniques to help you remain positive during the many ups and downs of business ownership.
