Want To Create a Flow-Focused Business With More Freedom, Ease and Flexibility?
For me, running a flow-focused business is a business that works with me and not against me.
I love my work BUT I know I can also fall back into workaholic patterns! However, I am slowly learning to dial back and remember why I started this journey in the first place. It was and still is a gateway to earning money by doing the work that I love, and that helps others, enabling me to have the freedom and flexibility to live the life I want with the people I love.
AND, I'm guessing you started your small business because you wanted to do work that you are passionate about and be your own boss while enjoying more freedom and flexibility to LIVE life on your terms.
So, how’s that working out for you? Mixed, meh, well?
Perhaps you dreamed of taking breaks to potter in the garden, having spontaneous days off to binge-watch Netflix, or enjoying a mid-day lunch with a friend.
But in reality, you're sooo busy wearing all the hats in your business that you have run out of time to live that flexible, flow-friendly lifestyle you envisioned in the first place.
I’m sharing this message with you today because as you’ll read on my about page, I learned the hard way that ‘doing all the things’ was NOT sustainable!
Maybe you quit your day job and now find you are working harder than ever.
It's ironic that instead of a boss dictating your work and schedule, you are being dictated to by various external and internal voices, coupled with the practical demands of what you "should be doing," rather than what is humanly possible.
We hear messages like "just grind it out," "push through," "push yourself to the max," "don't give in," "just hustle," and "aim for the ultimate six/seven figures." I even heard a female entrepreneur recently say that "now is the time to relentlessly push yourself." Whaaat? (As an aside, I also know that she has a team of people behind her that she doesn’t refer to, but there we go). But is that really what you and I have signed up for?
Of course, let’s be realistic, there are times when we need to burn the candle at both ends (hello, weekends and very late nights/early mornings), to focus and work hard, but we should strive to avoid making this the dominant energy.
If we only focus on work, we risk our health, perspective, inspiration, and perhaps burnout. I've come close to burnout on several occasions, but I'm slowly realising, that too much energy, although counterintuitive, can lead to less being accomplished. We can feel scattered, and instead of keeping our heads down and pushing on, maybe we need to pay attention to our energy as well as external factors.
Navigating obstacles in our business and life
The metaphor of a river has been used for centuries to describe the journey of life, and I’d add this could also be applied to your business.
Just as a river flows continuously and steadily towards its destination, our lives and businesses are constantly moving forward towards the future - whatever that may be.
The river is a powerful symbol of the passage of time, reminding us that we must navigate our way around any obstacles to keep moving forward, or at least allow ourselves time to tread water until we find our bearings.
It's also important to be aware that sometimes obstacles in the river can be a result of us getting in our own way, such as trying to juggle too many projects at once. I can certainly put my hands up on that one.
Taking the path of least resistance
One of the most compelling aspects of the river metaphor is the idea of the path of least resistance. A river will always take the easiest and most efficient route to its destination, and we can apply this principle to our own lives.
By finding the path of least resistance, we can achieve our goals and aspirations with greater ease and efficiency.
This means letting go of resistance and allowing life and business to flow naturally, rather than trying to force things to happen.
Cultivating a sense of flow in your life and business
The concept of flow is also related to the metaphor of a river. When we are in a state of flow, we become fully immersed in our work and experience a state of effortless focus and productivity. This can be compared to the way a river flows smoothly and steadily towards its destination, free from any obstacles or distractions.
By cultivating a sense of flow in our lives and businesses, we can achieve greater success and fulfilment in our endeavours.
So, how can your business evolve and flow with you, instead of against you?
This is what we’ll be tackling in this series of posts.
We'll begin by considering you: your personality, values, your "why," your vision, and what's currently on your plate. For those who want to, there will also be an opportunity to get creative!
From there, we'll focus on the following topics in no particular order: making money, flow-based marketing, your services/products, boundary-setting, processes to make your business more agile, and practical steps for operating a flow-focused business.
I hope these posts will give you some questions to ponder and inspire you to take action. You’ll also find practical tips and tools for running your flow-focused business on your terms while considering all the important things in your life.
HeartBiz Letter
Be encouraged to move forward in your flow-focused business with my twice-monthly Letter.
