Entrepreneurship with Ease: Achieving Success Without Sacrificing Your Mental Wellness
Hey there fellow entrepreneur!
Are you feeling overwhelmed and anxious, but still trying to push through and achieve success? It's no secret that the world of entrepreneurship can be demanding, and it's easy to feel like you have to sacrifice your mental wellness in order to make progress. But what if there was another way?
In this blog post, we'll explore how you can achieve success without sacrificing your mental wellness. Buckle up because this post is longer than my usual ones, but it’s a topic I’m passionate about because the push for entrepreneurs to focus on productivity drives me a bit nuts.
The truth is, the culture around productivity can be harmful and is leading to more and more people experiencing burnout. Whether you've been diagnosed with anxiety or any other mental health challenges, or not, it's important to recognize the toll that constantly pushing yourself can take on your wellbeing. But there are alternative approaches to entrepreneurship that prioritize your mental wellness and still allow you to achieve success.
As an example, consider my own experience. I used to work in corporate, putting in long hours and pushing myself to the limit. But I realized that this wasn't sustainable, and ultimately decided to shift my focus to entrepreneurship. Now, as a coach, I work far fewer hours and am less "productive" in the traditional sense, but I'm actually earning more money than I did before. This is just one example of how shifting your focus away from productivity can actually lead to greater success.
So if you're ready to prioritize your mental wellness and achieve success on your own terms, keep reading! We'll cover topics like focusing on the journey, rather than just the outcome, and the importance of taking real rest. Let's get started.
Being in it for the long haul vs. focused on immediate results
Entrepreneurship is often viewed as a race to the finish line, a sprint towards immediate results. But as an entrepreneur with chronic illness or mental health challenges, it's important to accept that your journey may be longer, and that's okay. The key is to stay committed to your bigger vision and focus on the long haul rather than immediate results.
There is nothing wrong with this and there is nothing wrong with you! You are not “doing it wrong” or “unsuccessful” or “lazy” or anything else like that. You are going at your own pace. You are committed to the bigger vision and your goal is to get there no matter how long it takes.
If you push too hard and try to do too much it can lead to burnout and you’ll end up quitting before you reach that bigger vision.
Trust me I am the person that had a notebook filled with ideas for different projects. I had mapped out 8 different micro-offer funnels with upsells and downsells and all the pieces that go into your typical marketing funnel. I had a list of all the tasks that needed to be done and I’d planned to get 1 funnel up each quarter, but trying to accomplish them all at once only left me feeling overwhelmed and defeated.
Now, I break down each part of what I want to do and give myself an entire quarter to work on the lead magnet, an entire quarter to work on the workshop, and an entire quarter to work on a mini-course, etc. vs thinking they can all be done in 1 quarter (side note: I know they can, I’ve seen other entrepreneurs do it, and I refuse to hustle … not only can I not do that with my mental health issues, but it’s also not in alignment with my vision for entrepreneurship).
This approach allows me to work at my own pace and achieve my goals without sacrificing my mental wellness. And it works! In fact, as a coach, I now work fewer hours but am earning more money than I did in the corporate world.
Focusing on the journey vs. the outcome
Focusing on the journey rather than the outcome is a crucial aspect of achieving success without sacrificing your mental wellness. It's important to remember that progress takes time, and it's okay to take things one step at a time. Celebrating consistent small wins along the way is a great way to stay motivated and to recognize the progress you've made.
When facing anxiety, it can be overwhelming to look at the bigger picture and consider the upcoming month or quarter. Instead, start by breaking down your projects into a high-level overview with key milestones, and then focus on taking things day by day and week by week. By doing this, you can avoid feeling overwhelmed and focus on doing just one thing each day.
If looking at your weekly to-do list feels like too much, try to focus on today or even the next hour or 10 minutes, and identify the one thing you want to accomplish during that time. This can help you to stay on track without feeling overwhelmed.
And if you aren't having any "wins" to report, it may be time to redefine what a "win" means for you. Success doesn't always have to be a grand achievement; it can also be the small steps you take toward progress. Remember, you are on your own timeline, and there's no rule that says you must complete something within a certain timeframe. Keep moving forward at your own pace, and celebrate every step of the way.
Focus on consistency vs intensity
To be successful in the long run, it's crucial to focus on consistency rather than intensity. While it may be tempting to work non-stop for a few days and then take a break, this cycle is not sustainable and can lead to burnout.
Instead, create a schedule that allows you to work at a pace that's both productive and achievable for you. This way, you can show up consistently each day, making progress towards your goals without feeling overwhelmed or exhausted.
Remember, success is not just about achieving big milestones. It's about showing up and doing the work consistently, day in and day out.
Do you actually enjoy it? vs. I “have to” do this
It's important to consider whether you actually enjoy the work you're doing or if you're only doing it because you feel like you have to. If you're not enjoying what you're doing, it can be difficult to sustain your motivation and push through the challenges that inevitably come with building a business.
There are a million ways to build a business … and each one of them will result in success. There is no one right business model or one right marketing strategy, or funnel, or anything else. If you're doing something that you truly enjoy, it can make the journey feel more fulfilling and sustainable. Sometimes the options can make things harder (some days I think it’d be easier if there was just one way … and then I think about what if I hated that one way of doing it). But, in the end, we can narrow down those options by looking at what we like to do vs. what we don’t enjoy. When you factor that in, the list narrows significantly!
Here’s an example of how my list looks:
Things I do enjoy: creating referral relationships online, zoom coffee chats, writing blogs and emails, creating resources, being a guest on podcasts, and doing workshops in other people's programs.
Things I don’t enjoy: Instagram reels, Instagram lives, TikTok, large in-person networking events, large summits, cold pitching, and pitching media.
Things I’d be open to if I had support: YouTube videos and Pinterest marketing.
My Top 3 vs. the mile-long to-do list
Breaking down a long to-do list into a manageable set of tasks can be overwhelming, especially when dealing with anxiety. A useful technique is to brain dump everything that comes to mind and then select the top three most important tasks. However, it's also crucial to consider if those tasks are genuinely essential or if there are other priorities that require immediate attention.
Surprisingly, sometimes basic activities like taking a shower, cooking for the kids, or writing an email can make it to the top three. It's essential to recognize that completing these basic tasks can significantly impact our mindset and have a positive effect on our day.
For instance, on a bad day, a shower can seem like an insurmountable task, but crossing it off the list can be a considerable achievement.
When starting to tackle the top three tasks, it's best to begin with the one that will have the most significant impact on your mindset or day. This might be as simple as drinking a hot cup of tea or addressing a crucial business task that has been weighing on your mind.
It's also okay to leave some tasks undone, especially if you manage to complete at least one of the top three items. Even spending just twenty minutes on a critical business task can lead to noticeable growth and progress.
You don’t need to slog away at the computer for hours. You don’t need to force yourself to chip away at all the things on that list. Just pick the one thing that relates directly to generating revenue and growth in your business and spend 20-30 minutes a day on it.
If you get nothing else done you can feel great about the work you did on growing your business. (I told you, we need to reframe productivity).
Flexible routines vs. winging it
When you have anxiety or fatigue, making the smallest decisions can be exhausting. This is why I’m a big fan of having flexible routines. At first, my routine was just to go to bed at a certain time and get up at a certain time. Then I added in other elements like showering and eating at regular intervals (I can’t be the only entrepreneur who looked up at the clock to realize it was 4 pm and they hadn’t eaten all day - no wonder I was exhausted!)
Now my routine includes 30 minutes of marketing each day and then 1 or 2 other elements from my task list that I’d like to do if I’m feeling up to it. Without any routine, I might sit down at my desk and be at a loss of what to do first and waste a lot of brain power trying to figure that out (or have 30 open tabs all vying for my attention and bouncing back and forth between them not actually effectively addressing any of them).
The key is to not make this routine so inflexible that you can’t deviate from it. It shouldn’t feel hard or like you “have to” do it.
If 30 minutes seems too long - be flexible and give yourself permission to try just 10 minutes and re-evaluate how you feel after that time. You may have gained some energy or it may be time to shift to another activity (or take a nap).
Take a real rest
I am all about learning - trust me - I spend a lot of time and money investing in learning (both formally and informally) … and one of the things I’ve learned is that sometimes I just need to rest.
This means sitting down without my tablet to read the latest self-help or business book. Or driving in silence without a podcast or audiobook on. Sometimes my mind just needs a break.
Though I love learning new things - putting more and more into my head sometimes feeds the anxious thoughts even more. It’s more noise and more to digest. Some days I need to take a real rest.
While listening to podcasts is definitely easier than concentrating on reading a book, sometimes using all your downtime to get inspired or learn more can further exhaust you! So put down that business book or turn off that podcast and take a real rest. Your mind will thank you.
Forget the fringe hours - REST!
A lot of books on productivity focus on how you can fit more into the pockets of your day. I’ve mastered that aspect of time management - trust me. And what I found was that it just made things worse.
Rather than packing an extra 10 minutes in here or 20 minutes there to get more done (whether that’s housework or business work), it was far better for my health to just REST.
Really take a proper rest without guilt, without FOMO, without berating myself for what I “should” be doing … and without scrolling on my phone and getting depressed by others' highlight reels.
If you want to be “successful” you need to REST. We are not robots or machines! We are human beings.
So instead of adding things into those fringe hours - call it a day. And do whatever you do to turn your brain off (and yes that may be binging Netflix – just make sure you go to bed on time or it’s going to add to your exhaustion tomorrow).
Sometimes we are worse than the worst boss we’ve ever had. We’re tyrants not allowing any rest for the weary. Focus less on being productive and more on balancing your energy and mental wellness and the rest will fall into place.
Takeaway
I hope this reframing of productivity l helps you to take control of your anxiety and boosts your "productivity". Remember, it's okay to have bad days and to take breaks.
The key is to be consistent and set a schedule that works for you. Don't be afraid to try new things and find what works best for your unique situation.
As women entrepreneurs, we have a lot on our plates, but by implementing the tips and strategies in this article, we can conquer our anxious thoughts, tame that overwhelm, and still achieve our goals.
So let's take a deep breath, focus on our priorities, and take action toward our dreams.
You've got this!
Ready to enjoy entrepreneurship with ease? If you’re ready and eager to work alongside me, then let’s chat about how we can implement some of these strategies into your day-to-day.
Book a free discovery call with me today for unlimited laser coaching.