HOW TO STAY CONSISTENT AND MOTIVATED IN YOUR QUIET SEASON.
One of my current goals is to be a more consistent presence in my business, but as a creative person my energy tends to have pretty major peaks and troughs.
It can be even more tricky to keep that motivation up when your business is going through a quiet season. We all have them, whether its the time of year or just because your biz is not quite off the ground and fully developed.
Here are my tips for pushing through the accompanying worry and self-doubt, a productive way of dealing with a quiet period:
Make several have to-do’s.
Small, weekly tasks that keep your business active. These could include posting a set number of times to Instagram, scheduling tweets once a week, or preparing a regular blog post and newsletter. Keep them manageable and easy to achieve, that way you can feel you've accomplished something positive without using it to beat yourself up.
Make plans for the long term.
A quiet time is the ideal time to get those big picture dreams down. It's just as important to work on your business as it is to work in it. Packing orders is great, but if you're a little light on orders - use the time to dream big for the future of your business. Get a new notebook, start a fresh sheet of paper, and get down all the things you'd like to achieve. Next - work out a plan of action, what small steps can you start working on to make those dreams come to life?
Get organised.
Split your biz into manageable sections. Stock storage, packing area, record keeping - have a clear out, sell unwanted supplies or tools (holding an instagram sale is a great way to do this!), and reorganise your working space. That way, when things do pick up, you'll be able to breeze through the busyness in a stress free style - knowing exactly where all your spare tissue paper or receipts are!
Audit.
The digital version of the above. Go over your social profiles, shop listings and photography, blog content. Work through any weaknesses one at a time. Can your social bio be more on-brand or informative? Does your 'about' page need refining on your website? Make sure listings are accurate and tagged correctly {double check postage pricing too}, and generally ensure you're putting your best foot forward online.
Refind the joy.
Take time to practice your craft, work on producing new work, up your skills in areas that you feel a bit down about. Try out a new creative hobby that takes the pressure off creating for a business, or join in on some challenges {instagram photo challenges are great for motivation} to keep yourself accountable. If you need to work on areas like photography or learn a new design program - now's the time!
Be kind to yourself.
It’s too easy to beat yourself up when things take a dip in your business. Remember that it’s perfectly normal and don’t forget to be gentle with yourself. Look for the little things that are going well and celebrate them {I have a post HERE with tips!}
{Just keep going - you've got this! Do you have any tips for tricking yourself into motivation??}