Being an entrepreneur comes with a lot of perks, but it also has its fair share of downfalls as well. Because we live in a social media era where entrepreneurship is highly glamourized, most individuals jump into it with false expectations of what it truly takes to thrive in this industry. Fallon shares that she believes the old misconception surrounding entrepreneurship was that becoming a business owner was a quicker process to freedom and making more money than on their traditional job. Most individuals believed they could quickly experience massive success quickly with minimal work being done; However, she now believes that people do understand the “hustle” required, the “booked and busy” and the grind that is associated with and necessary for entrepreneurship. Unfortunately, those things have been glorified and have created a new misconception.
New business owners still have no idea how to accurately forecast nor quantify how much time, grind, sacrifice, and hustle is truly really has to be dedicated to putting in the work needed to be required to grow a successful, profitable and sustainable business. In Fallon’s personal and professional experience with her clients she states, this inevitably leads to lack of effective planning for projects, marketing, administrative tasks and more which ultimately results in burnout, overwhelm and self-doubt. Scott goes on to state, “People don’t realize that making the decision to become your own boss means giving up a lot of your freedom in the beginning and often not-so-beginning stages.” Which leads us to tip #1:
1. Create a realistic view of what entrepreneurship looks like.
Burnout often occurs due to feelings of overwhelm, which is a result of 2 main things. First, you are treating your business like a one-[wo]man show. You are the fast food cook, janitor, check out clerk, drive through order-taker, fry machine master and manager who handles the books and locks up at the end of the night. In the beginning, most entrepreneurs don’t have a budget for the marketing staff, product manufacturer, administrative assistant, public relations agent and whatever else their business requires of them that day. [Enter] Overwhelm!
Secondly, overwhelm is inevitable with a lack of clearly defined strategies for operations and automated systems in place to carry out the strategic plan. Overwhelm is often heightened when one fails to set expectations of what this new phase of life looks like. Because of this, the brain subconsciously goes into protect mode which can lead to stress or anxiety. In efforts to avoid this, don’t jump into entrepreneurship blindly. Set aside time to visualize what life will look like and what roles you will need to play over the next 1-3 years, then create a strategic game plan (or hire someone with experience who can create one with and for you. Trust me on this. Save your edges!) on how you will navigate the logistics, operations and behind the scenes of your entrepreneurial journey.
2. Create a morning ritual.
If
you don’t have a morning ritual, you’re missing out! Studies show that people who have morning routines experience more success, perform higher, and tend to lead healthier lives. Having the proper rituals in place can help you alleviate stress and be better
prepared for the remainder of your day.
Fallon’s
morning ritual consists of saying affirmations over her life and her business from her famous affirmation mirror and affirmation sticky notes, prayer, devotion, and quiet time to visualize her goals. She creates a calming atmosphere by lighting her favorite
candles and diffuser, which helps her to set the tone of her day. Other best practices you could try include: meditating, drinking water to rehydrate, executing 1 big task, or exercising to name a few. If you’re newly constructing your morning rituals, try
to start off by consistently executing 3 simple activities for 7 days straight. Once you’ve completed your first 7 days, add 3 more activities. Repeat the process for 21 days to form a habitual routine.
3. Create a consistent self-care routine.
As an entrepreneur, you’ll quickly learn that success is always on the other side of service. Individuals that experience a high level of success are those who provide massive value by giving of themselves, their ideas, their time and unimaginable amounts of personal sacrifice. Although giving has its rewards, it’s important to remember to take care of you. You can’t pour from an empty cup.
Fallon shares that some of her favorite self-care habits involve traveling, attending conferences, getting her lashes done (hello uninterrupted 2-hour nap!), scheduled monthly massages, and allotting designated times of the day for white space to clear her head and think about NOTHING. Here are a few more hacks you can try as well: journaling, disconnecting from social media, turning your phone off or placing on airplane mode, taking a shower, talking to a friend, picking up a new hobby, or meditating. (Check out my favorite self-care secrets here.) The key to self-care is figuring out what works best for you. Don’t be afraid to try several things until to find a routine that you love.
Bonus Tip: Focus on priorities and productivity rather than just being busy
Social media will trick you into thinking that looking busy is what matters, but at the end of the day being productive is what actually counts. Being busy but not productive will eventually create burnout. You most likely will start to feel as though all of your efforts have been in vain once you realize you aren’t getting the results you desire. This is why it is extremely important to ensure that you strategically dedicate your time to activities that will yield some type of return.
Fallon refers to her top priorities as the 4Fs: Faith, Family, Fitness, and Finances. Because these areas are extremely important to her, she ensures that she creates a schedule that allows her to cater to each of these individual needs. Having certain productivity hacks in place such as: shutting off notifications, planning ahead, blocking off designated times specifically for work, and monitoring her time spent on social media as well as other leisure activities has made this process a lot easier to manage. Establishing upfront what’s important to you and taking the necessary measures to avoid having to compromise your standards will create a sense of fulfillment, which in return makes you feel as though all of the hard work and sacrifices are worth it.
Interested in learning more about Fallon? Connect with her on IG @thefallonrice | @f28agency