Svaha: the time between seeing lightning and hearing the thunder
I will be eternally grateful for your great gift of taking in to the fullest extent what it is that I have to offer, living it, and then reflecting it back in terms of the potential experience of others. You have given words to a process that defies words. And you’re constantly in a position to help me continue to hone that, deeper and deeper and more and more resonantly, who I am and what I offer, which is truly invaluable. — Jon Hansen, The Remembering Room, Richmond, Illinois
What you’ve sent me is so darn perfect it hurts! It’s a sheer pleasure to work with someone who writes as beautifully as you do — and in “my” voice. — Ariane Goodwin, Ed.D, smARTist® Telesummit, Millers Falls, Massachusetts
You have a real gift for words. You’re really, really good at it. — Sherry Essig, Priority Ventures Group, Raleigh, North Carolina
You’ve built such integrity of message in your company. I know that’s because it springs forth intrinsically, but you stay so focused at your core! I can’t think of a better way to phrase that laser-beam focus you have. It’s funny, because in someone else, laser-beam focus would be intense, but somehow you manage to make it much more kind and easy. — Jessica Albon, Thrive Your Tribe, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
I’ve never worked with anybody in the way that I’ve worked with you in terms of trusting in your abilities to the level that I have. — Catherine Hajnal PhD, Eight Branches Consulting, Vancouver, Canada ... facilitating and nurturing joyful living
You have an uncanny ability to see through what is being said and surface all the “unsaid” issues. Then you quickly give candid feedback and have a tremendous toolbox to help me move forward through your expert guidance of the right tool.
I have worked with many facilitators/coaches/counselors relating to work and personal situations. Your skills are exemplary and moved me faster than I ever expected. — Jennifer Baker, Fishers, Indiana
You bring both a spiritual perspective and some real-world hard-headedness. — Janet Bailey, Mindful Time Management, San Francisco, California
Brava! I wish I could draw a picture of me — you’d see me in a deep bow to you!
I read your newsletter as soon as it hits my in-box and you’re always right on with your advice. I had to let you know that this issue is particularly brilliant.
I will definitely keep this info — and your contact info — in a secure place.
Thanks so much for sharing your insight and wisdom. — Debbie Rodgers, CGA
January 19 2010
Being in business for yourself means being creative — and taking care of what one client calls the “mindless, mundane, routine tasks.”
It’s an interesting balance that can become a battle — a battle of your will versus what you really want, a battle against those mundane tasks that often feel overwhelming.
When it seems like you’re constantly having to force yourself to pay attention to the “shoulds,” you may start wondering why you ever thought being in business was a good idea. There you are with wonderful ideas about what you want to be doing, ideas you know will give your clients the help they need, and instead you’re faced with a mountain of paperwork, networking events to drag yourself to, or whatever your particular least-favorite thing may be.
In an attempt to be responsible you may decide that you have to finish the routine tasks before you can start the fun, creative work. At this point, procrastination often sets in, along with self-doubt and questions about your motivation.
If this sounds familiar, you’ve probably noticed that it doesn’t work very well.
Yes, you may be able to force yourself, ultimately and after a painful battle, to do the mundane tasks. But you invest a huge amount of valuable energy in that battle — energy and time. This leaves you exhausted, frustrated, angry with yourself, and out of time in your day to get into the good, juicy stuff that you really want to do. You know — all those things that called you to go into business for yourself in the first place.
This is where many coaches and advisors will tell you to outsource. “Hire someone!” they urge blithely.
That’s all very well if you’re financially in a position to do so — and it’s all very well if there’s really enough work to hand off. But often it’s just not possible.
And in reality, it’s not that you’re overworked.
In reality, you’re suffering from a “should” logjam. Those accumulated tasks you don’t want to do are blocking up the flow of your energy, creativity, and inspiration, just as a logjam blocks the flow of a river. As you resist doing the “shoulds,” your creative energy is more and more pent up behind them — and your frustration builds in direct proportion.
(If you are overworked, then, yes — hire someone. And if you can’t afford it, could it be time to raise your prices?)
Assuming that you can’t hire help, what can you do? Here are a few suggestions.
An objective look at what’s happening will help you see things more clearly.
It’s common parental practice to reward children for doing unpleasant or boring tasks by allowing them to do something fun afterwards. Most of us, therefore, have childhood habits telling us to “do the icky thing first, then go have fun.”
Look at what’s happening. Notice the rules, expectations, and “shoulds” that you’re living with — and believing in.
Given that parents and teachers do bribe kids with fun stuff to do or have after they finish the unpleasant tasks, it’s no wonder these habits of “boring first, fun second” carry over into adulthood and into your work experience.
But your creative work inspires and energizes you. And equally importantly, if you’re not developing new services and new products, then you’re not giving your future income stream the attention it needs.
Is it really true that if you “give in” and do some of the fun work first, you’ll never get to the other stuff?
After all, when you’re stuck in resistance and procrastination, you’re not getting much of anything done.
What if you were to throw your schedule out the window?
What if you were to focus on creativity first and routine tasks second?
What if you were to identify your most productive time of day — no matter when that is, morning, noon, or midnight — and spend that time indulging yourself with what you most enjoy doing for your business?
Like my clients, you’ll find that releasing the logjam also releases your energy — and that the mundane tasks are far less annoying and overwhelming when you don’t allow them to hold everything else up.
Obviously the routine work does need to get done. But you don’t need to let it block you from doing the work you went into business to do.
“That which is static and repetitive is boring. That which is dynamic and random is confusing. In between lies art.” John Locke, 1632-1704, English physician and philosopher.
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