A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts (Richard Branson).
Yes, those words are true, but there are times when the mundane everyday tasks of running a business take over and it is easy to lose sight of the vision that once was. Preparing budgets, business plans, sourcing suppliers, organizing finances and learning all that comes with growing a business can often become priority and leaves little time for that creative edge that was once a driving force.
This can lead to loss of motivation, drive and passion leading to stagnation of your business.
To date, we have spoken to over 100 females in business as part of the Educate to Innovate project and when asked what their biggest challenge in business was; time and lack of it was the response by most. Most of these females commented that they are so focused on completing the everyday tasks of running a business that there is very little time and energy left to be creative or give time to their creative thoughts.
Creativity drives a business forward allowing the mind to start seeing possibilities and opportunities rather than the problems that arise. Below are some top tips from female entrepreneurs that help lighten the workload and allow them to flex that creative muscle.
- Delegate
It is as simple as that; “Delegate” – you cannot be everything and it is not possible to be skilled in all areas, so delegation is key to every business. If it is not possible to recruit a part-time person then ask a close family member, a trusted friend or perhaps an intern and then delegate tasks, trust them and allow them to lighten the load for you.
The extra time will allow you to think and enable you to be more creative and innovative about ways to overcome challenges, improve business structures, generate more income and grow your business.
If delegation of tasks is not possible for you right now, then perhaps consider delegating time for thought! There is no set amount of time for this be it 5 minutes or an hour a week it does not matter – give your mind some time to allow it to ignite the creative thoughts and provide the innovation needed to drive the business forward.
- Time to Declutter
Decluttering is not an easy task – it requires some effort and a firm (inner) voice! An entrepreneur’s mind can often resemble a busy mail inbox – flooded with several queries, thoughts and unsorted tasks. However, categorising and sorting through those thoughts can help clear the mind and create space for innovative thinking. Carry a “brain dump” journal and jot everything down. Putting all your thoughts on an open page will give you the ability to deal with them one by one and get creative.
Visual clutter also leads to a messy mind – check your space, get rid of anything you don’t need and use a neat and effective storage system for everything you do need. Creativity will flow from a calm peaceful clear space.
- New day – New goals
Taking a few minutes at the beginning of the day to set a goal. This will set your intention for the day and give you a clear vision. Short-term small goals support business evolution and growth giving your work more purpose and clarity resulting in more time for you to revel in creative work.
Every day a break-down of goals will help you measure your progress and create the route to your main goal and business success.
Two things to remember:
“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”
– Maya Angelou
“The best view comes after the hardest climb”
-Unknown
Feel free to share this on to fellow entrepreneurs you feel may benefit from our tips!
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