We find it so hard to create space for ourselves, especially when it comes to our business.
Do, do, do. Go, go, go
Too busy, Endless to-do lists
Emails to get back to, messages to read, replies to be sent
Jobs to start, jobs to finish
Social media accounts to manage, website bugs to fix
Invoices to chase, receipts to track
… blah blah blaAAAaaaRGH!!
And often, even when we do create space, immediate panic sets in and we can’t switch our minds off.
Why?! Why are we doing this to ourselves?! How did we get it so wrong?! Well, there are lots of reasons why - our schooling, factory productivity lines, office ‘sit at your desk so we can see you work’ culture, the immediacy of technology, social media, our obsession with having something to ‘show’ for everything, our fear of boredom… to name a few! Quite simply, we are programmed to do - so we cram it all in and leave no space to stop for air.
We could spend years looking back and analysing reasons why but instead let’s look forward and course correct as we go.
Last week, I had a full schedule of client intake days throughout the week. Wednesday was my only non-client day. There were a load of tasks that “needing doing” that I “should” have sat down on my laptop to do. I woke up, my to-do list already whizzing around my head and instead of opening my laptop and getting straight to it, I took a meander.
MEANDER - An indirect or aimless journey
Oh…cheeky. It feels rebellious, like skiving school. That voice inside your head pipes up…
“How dare you give yourself such a luxury!”
“Who the hell do you think you are?!”
“You’ve got work to do!”
“You don’t have the time to do nothing!”
“Get back to your desk immediately”
Even though we are our own boss and no one (other than us) is actually keeping score... It feels counter-intuitive to step away from it all and give yourself this space.
But here’s the thing, it’s not. It actually couldn’t be more intuitive if it tried because creativity loves space. When we create space in our day or week, we create space in our mind and body. We go from feeling crammed and contracted and we enter into a state of feeling expanded and spacious. And it’s from this space that creativity comes in to play. It’s when all the ideas, problems, information and experiences have time to percolate and the pattern spotting and dot connecting can be done. Just because you don’t see it in a tangible sense, does not mean that this space is not of value to you and your business.
It’s actually business critical that you factor in giving yourself some space on the regs.
Don’t wait until you feel overwhelmed to create space as a reactionary fix. Be proactive and make space a non-negotiable from the get go. There will of course be times you can’t switch off, times your mind won’t stop racing, but creativity is a practice and the more you practice it the easier it gets and the more it gives back. The intention is to strengthen your practice of expanding into spaciousness.
How can you give your creativity space to breathe this week?
(Clue: do what feels counter-intuitive…. It’s probably the most intuitive thing you could actually do).
Let me know in the comments below.