What to do when you have trouble sitting down to work on your business or creative projects.
Sometimes it can be challenging to set aside, and/or to honor, the time you need to work on your business.
Maybe, for example, you only have a couple of clients, so you’re not in your office much. Or perhaps you don’t have a good content plan yet, and it’s been tricky to work on creating blogs or videos, or what have you. Maybe you have a website, and you know you need to look at it again, but you can’t seem to sit down and really log some time on your messaging.
This can happen any time, but it can be especially hard when your business is in the early stages. You don’t have the fundamentals in place, or you don’t have a lot going on. It can also hit when you’re experiencing doubt or uncertainty in the face of your marketing or business.
Some people are good at honoring the time they set aside on their calendar. “Business Development” on Tuesdays from 9-11, and there they are, every Tuesday, working for two hours on their business.
If that’s you, that’s amazing! And, if it’s not you, I get it.
Building Your Business Is a Creative Project
Creating a business that is deeply in alignment with your soul is a huge creative undertaking. It’s akin to committing to writing a novel or creating a collection of your photography to submit to show.
Two things are true here - that desire to embark on this type of inspired journey comes from a deep internal well that may or may not respond well to arbitrarily assigned calendar slots. Second, if you long to bring this creation into the world, it does require your love and attention and time.
What can you do if you’re struggling to make the time for it?
Building a Sanctuary
One thing that’s helped me in both my creativity and working on my business is to design a sanctuary - a special time and figurative area dedicated to just this project. To build that metaphorical space, I’ve created a lovely, personal ritual - a list of small steps that signal to my mind and my soul self that I am entering the setting where I do my work.
When I lived in Milan, I often visited Il Duomo, the cathedral in the center of town. When I drew open the heavy, ornate door, a rush of silence would envelop me. As I stepped forward, I dipped my fingertips into the bath of holy water; and the scent of incense ribboned around me. It was dark and soft, candlelight flickering from the sacristy. And the air was silent, save for the occasional receding footstep or the groan of a wooden pew.
It was a sacred, peaceful space where I found nourishment.
Bringing a sense of sacredness to projects is one way to help honor the time needed to bring them to life.
Writing a Ritual
When I write now, I keep a small typewritten note next to my notebook. On it is a list of simple steps I take as a way to enter my creative sanctuary. Some are symbolic (light a candle) and some are for comfort (have a cup of tea.) Some are practical (turn on my productivity app,) while others are more spiritual (cultivate gratitude; drop into Remembrance.) Some are intuitive (call on my guides) and others preparatory (do a writing warm-up.)
All serve to ease my transition and prepare the setting where I do my important work.
Many times, when I’m feeling restless and resistant to a creative project I’ve committed to (which happens far more often than I wish,) just starting down the list and taking the first of this series of curated steps helps.
It’s a signal somehow, one that says I’m entering the cathedral of my work. And it’s enough to guide me forward. It’s enough to open the door to my heart and enough to help me begin my work for the day.
It helps me honor the commitment that I’ve made to spending time with and working on the thing I love.
What about you? What do you think of this? I wonder if there is some way you can use ritual to make a beautiful, unique space for yourself and your work in the world?