Embracing a slower pace in your business
With lockdown easing in the UK and Spring in the air, there’s an inevitable buzz of higher productivity that comes with it. You may be feeling the pressure to pick up the pace and do all of the things right this second. But you’re more than welcome to embrace a slower pace in your business if that’s what you need.
Not sure where to start? Here are a few tips that I remind myself of that you can take on board too.
Pay attention to the season you’re in.
Something that has stuck with me that I learned from Nicola Rae-Wickham is to be aware of your season. At any one time, everyone is in a different season (high energy, low energy, winter, summer etc.)
The key is to be aware of where YOU are and do things that align with YOUR energy.
An example of this is if you’re planning to launch a new service or product. If you currently have low energy and require time out to recuperate (e.g. winter season), there’s no point trying to pull together a last-minute launch. You’ll struggle to bring your whole self to the campaign and may end up disappointed if it doesn’t go as planned.
Compare that to when you have higher energy (summer season). You’re raring to go and communicate with your audience with ease, you plough through your to-do list, and the launch feels fantastic and successful. Following your season can put you in a better position overall and feels like a no-brainer. It’s not just physical energy or the natural seasons you can pay attention to either with regards to your pace. There’s also the lunar cycle and your hormonal cycle that can have an effect. Keep track of your energy cycles throughout the month and make the most of where you are in the moment.
Extend project timelines where possible.
Taking more time to work on projects doesn't make you any less capable. Some people work better with quicker timelines; others would instead prefer to take their time. From a design perspective, I’m in the latter group and have had clients who prefer working that way too. Again, it's all about what feels suitable for you.
If anything, extending timelines gives you the space to explore ideas more, research thoroughly and test different things to see what works best. We’re somewhat conditioned to think that all projects must be completely perfect and finished yesterday (#EverydayHustle?) In reality, there’s always potential to get better results if you’re not rushing constantly as your brain has more time to think things through properly.
It can depend on the context of what you’re working on. But if you’ve been feeling rushed off your feet trying to tackle projects in a short timeframe, see this as a permission slip to slow it down a little where you can.
Rest is non-negotiable.
Here’s a bit of tough love.
Can we stop feeling guilty about taking time off and resting? We’re not robots who need to be working 24/7 to run a successful business. Rest 👏🏽 is 👏🏽 non-negotiable.
Let’s avoid the inevitable burnout that comes with the constant hustle and treat ourselves better like the humans we are. Block off days in your calendar where you step away from the screens (I mean really step away). Fully immerse yourself in other activities that don't revolve around your work and give yourself the chance to breathe. Rest is non-negotiable.
Don’t feel compelled to do all the things right now just because others are.
Ah, comparison. Will this struggle ever end?
Honestly, I think feelings of comparison are inevitable when you're running your own business. It's a difficult barrier to break when it feels like everyone else is progressing so much faster than you.
But remember this: nobody else is in charge of your life, your business or your time. You are.
Suppose you’re working towards getting tasks done, hitting business goals or even just getting to grips with your feelings about easing out of lockdown. Don’t feel pressured into doing everything all at once. It’s OK to take things slower than others.
Comparisonitis may be rearing its ugly head, and you might be feeling like you MUST do this or that right now because x, y and z are doing it. But real talk? Those are not facts.
Give yourself space and the opportunity to listen to your intuition a bit more and do what you feel you have the capacity to do.
It’s probably apparent at this point, but I’m all about embracing a slower pace in my business, especially with running it alongside a full-time job. If a slower pace is something you need in your business, too, then see this post as a friendly reminder (and permission slip) to know that it’s OK to do so. You may just thank yourself later for it!
