It’s the biggest hack I have uncovered as a business owner
We have a big day today! I have meetings lined up, people to talk with, and I’m excited about the new ideas we might create, new projects we might…
Wait, the day just got away from me? I remember doing a few of the things on my list, but then my phone started ringing, fires (figurative of course) springing up everywhere, and now it’s time to go home. It’s past time to go home. I guess those fun creative ideas, the chance to do something innovative, will have to wait for another day. Another day when there will again be phones to answer and fires to put out.
If only I started with the creative work first!
Starting my day with creative work has been one of my best hacks as a business owner. Why?
1. I’m Freshest in the Morning
Nothing like a clear mind and renewed energy and maybe some water and coffee to get the creative juices going–for me anyways, and for many of the people I know. Even if I do have time to develop new ideas later in the day, they won’t be as good then.
2. Creativity Cheers Me Up
Again, based on my own experience and that of my colleagues, doing creative, productive work leads to a positive mind-set. No matter what I’m doing in the rest of my day. I’ll be better at it if I take some time first to do work I really like. I bet you will be, too.
3. Creativity Builds on Itself
Start writing. Start thinking of a new strategy. Get the juices flowing, and new ideas will come to mind, including some that have nothing to do with the subject at hand. Some will be good, some not so good, but to find a good idea, you’ll need to have lots of bad ones. So, bad ideas are really ok, too. You get better at telling the difference with practice. Creativity, on any subject, opens your mind up and allows for all sorts of new ideas to come through.
4. We’re Least Likely to Be Interrupted in the Morning
Most people don’t get started early, so the issues and crises don’t usually start pouring in until about 9am. If you start your day before that, you can get a lot of great work done.
5. No Matter What, At Least You Built Something Today
So many business people I talk to tell me they are frustrated because they finish their day wondering what they just did. They reacted, they went to meetings, they put out fires. Sure, that can all be important, but it’s not satisfying, and you can’t win if you only play defense. If you start your day by drafting a strategy, an initiative, a new product, a blog post, anything like that, then even if something blows up and your day gets away from you, at least you built something. I’ve always felt that any day where you are doing something creative for your business is a pretty good day.
This week, try it. Do your creative work early. See how that works, how it feels. Build the habit, and in no time, you will have loads of ideas, content, strategies that wouldn’t exist if you went back to the daily reactionary grind.