Ever started dating someone new and are filled with butterflies?
You can’t stop thinking about them; excited for their text, calls, and the anticipation of your next meeting.
You may even stay up way past your bedtime every night, ultimately disrupting your sleep and other routines.
You are simultaneously high on life yet entirely off-balance.
Sometimes a new project or business can feel like this. Your passion turns to obsession over the many details that will ensure your success.
New ideas burst like fireworks waking you up in the middle of the night as you think about what you want to create and wonder what to do next.
It seems you can never move fast enough. You struggle to balance your routine, not knowing how much is too much, if you can handle this, or whether or not you will succeed.
It’s exhilarating yet exhausting, and you eventually become drained. Putting the pedal to the metal, you are feeling great until boom- you crash into a brick wall and can’t move forward.
With zero motivation, you feel burnt out and want to quit.
It makes sense. Imagine if you started dating someone new and spent every waking moment together, staying up late every night.
At first, it would seem exhilarating, but at a certain point, you probably would be exhausted, need some serious space, or you may even need a permanent break.
Think of running a new business like dating. If you move too quickly and take on everything at once, you will most likely get burnt out. Remember, your business is a marathon, not a sprint. Why not take a little time to get to know your business and evaluate what’s working and what’s not working.
You are in it for the long haul, so take things slowly, one step at a time.
By taking time to reflect, learn, and get grounded, you can confidently take action. Working more intentionally helps you to avoid overwhelm and burnout.
You can date a little, enjoy the ride, and have a good strategy in place before taking things to the next level. After all, it’s probably not wise to move in together after the first date.
How else can I keep up my energy?
In the meantime, it is essential to keep yourself energized and in a peak state. Make sure to keep a routine that works for you by tapping into what fills you with energy.
If your tank is empty, you will have nothing left to support either you or your growing business.
So think about what you need to do to stay balanced physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
To start noticing what fills your cup with energy, ask yourself two questions each day:
1. What fills me with energy?
2. What drains me?
1 . What fills me with energy?
Where do you feel good focusing each day?
Where do you feel in flow?
What parts of your business genuinely light you up inside?
Do you notice you love working on specific areas of your business?
Is there a particular time of day that you feel more energized to work?
Reflect on the answers and start to focus on things that create more energy for you.
2. What drains me?
It is just as important to ask yourself, “Where do I feel drained?”
If certain elements drain you, pay attention to that. Perhaps these are tasks you can remove from your plate by delegating, or maybe they are not even something that needs to be focused on at all?
What can you say no to that drains you?
Can you eliminate them, remove them from your plate or limit them in some way?
Create a “no-list” to protect your time, space, and energy.
Ask yourself, “What do I need to say no to have healthy boundaries?”
Most importantly, take time to enjoy what you are doing. Sometimes we are so focused on our list of to-do’s that we miss enjoying the ride.
Ask yourself, “How can I focus on what brings me joy each day?”
Practice gratitude and be connected to why you love what you are doing. Life is about the journey and less about the destination. Slow down and enjoy every moment!
To help you plan one step at a time, download my free planner HERE.
Fall in love with the journey!
Michele x
