Yes, for many of us,
this is our busiest time.
And yes, it is tempting
to work 24/7
without breaks,
without rewards.
But we NEED rewards.
We need,
at the very least,
5 minute breaks.
We need sleep.
Or we’ll break down.
We’ll quit.
We’ll become ill.
Reward yourself today.
This could be a bowl of berries
or
a 5 minute walk outside
or
a nap
or
something else.
Rewards will keep you
going.
I love fresh writing.
That is my favorite part
of the Romance Novel Business.
So I try to do
at least a little bit
of fresh writing
every day.
There are plenty of tasks
we have to do
each day as business builders.
It is necessary work
and it has to be completed.
But try to set aside
a few minutes,
it could be 15 minutes,
to do a task
that gives you joy.
That will remind you
WHY you’re building
that specific business
and
it will give you energy
for the other
not-as-enjoyable tasks.
Do a fun task
every day.
A business building buddy
inserts a strip of paper
with a very bad child-friendly joke
into every shipment
of her products.
She grins every time
she does this.
It gives her joy.
It also gives
some of her customers joy.
But that isn’t the primary purpose.
The primary purpose
is it makes my friend happy.
And happy business builders
continue to build businesses.
Add some joy
to your work day.
That happiness
might be the burst of energy
you need.
We, business builders,
tend to be heads down
and hard at work
for most of the day.
Take a moment
and look around you.
Gaze up at the sky.
Listen to the birds.
Watch the squirrels play.
Embrace that awareness,
that sense of connection
to something bigger,
something lasting.
You’re a part of all that.
The product or service
you are seeking to supply
will be part of all that.
That is truly special.
Savor it.
Bring that feeling
to your work.
I interacted with a new-to-me reader
yesterday.
I put that encounter
squarely in the win category,
told the people
who would be happy for me,
who would understand,
treated myself to a mini celebration.
It was a small win
but that is usually
what drives larger successes
– small wins.
They are important,
are building blocks,
and they should be recognized.
Celebrate your small wins.