One of the biggest flexes observed in the entrepreneurial world is that entrepreneurs are constantly “on the grind,” and it’s not sunup to sundown, but LITERALLY at all hours of the day, every day. This includes the time that we are, and should be, sleeping. Too often, we often exalt that behavior and miscategorize it as extreme dedication, and doing so can damage your long-term success and cause you to burn out, rather than sustain.
Consistency Vs. Breaks
A key component of content marketing success is the consistency of your content creation and publication. We talked explicitly about consistency in the podcast Q&A episodes, and how comforting it is for your community to know what to expect and when.
Consistency is valuable, as is being able to unplug from time to time. While they seem to be opposing takes, the key for both is as simple as setting expectations. Much like the preamble to this episode of Hustleburg, you can set expectations when you need to deviate from your established and consistent schedule.
When you can plan your breaks from consistent practice and make known the deviation from the standard you set, you warn your community of an adjustment. Rather than have someone show up to find a closed storefront or office, sharing your planned break from consistency helps ease the shock of taking such a break.
Take the Time Off
Extroverts are energized by their interactions with others. One of the best ways to fill that tank is actually to step away from the “busyness” of work and be present with your friends and family. After all, they are on this journey with you. The most important holidays to you present an opportunity to re-connect with those who don’t get as much of your attention when you’re “on,” as well as recharge yourself with the love and quality time spent with your loved ones, deepening your connection with them.
At the beginning of this episode of Hustleburg, we outlined what to expect with the deviations we’re making during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, and this is the reason. It’s a chance to re-energize for the sprint between holidays and then again for the new year. It’s very difficult to be present to spend that quality time with my loved ones if you don’t completely unplug and disengage from work. When you’re a solopreneur, it’s hard to turn work “off,” but not really being present with others is impossible without turning off that switch.
Be Present When You’re There
This brings up the importance of being fully present when you’re physically there. You’ve seen someone preoccupied with their cell phone, rather than engaging with the people and activities around them. Whether at the grocery store, at a traffic light, or with your friends and family, that phone can feel like your mistress to the people around you. Who hasn’t recognized how much time can be wasted by mindlessly scrolling or checking apps for updates?
Obviously, in 2020 we’ve had to re-examine and re-tool our work lives to fit the framework we find ourselves in, and as discussed in the bonus episode released toward the beginning of the pandemic shutdowns, it’s important that we maintain separate “work” time from the rest of our time. One of the best ways to ensure that your relationships don’t crumble is to make sure you are 100% there for your family and friends when you are physically present. For most of us, especially in the connected world we live in, that means putting down your phone, iPad, or laptop and actively engage with the people around us.
Really, just make sure you aren’t sleepwalking through the relationships you have with the most important people in your life as a sacrifice to what you do, especially when we know that each scroll and check of each app isn’t actually productive time spent. Being present with your loved ones also serves as practice for your time spent at work, where it’s pretty darn important to make sure that you are building stronger relationships and connecting to more people.