If you run a creative business, your venture is likely built on a passion for what you do. Many creative entrepreneurs launch their companies to escape the constraints of being managed by a boss or to enable themselves to enjoy the freedom of not answering to anyone but themselves. Becoming your own boss and being in charge of a company of your own is a liberating experience. Being able to call all the shots and decide on the direction your work should take does bring a lot of freedom into your work life. But, one thing you may find challenging is finding a balance between your company's creative side and the business side. Here we will examine how you can run a successful business without it stifling your creativity; here are some tips to inspire you:
Getting caught up in the corporate nature of running a business can take its toll on your creativity. When you feel that the work involved in running a business is getting too much, you may find it helpful to reconnect with the values that inspired you to go it alone in the first place. Reminding yourself why you love to be creative, and the inspiration behind launching your business is an excellent way to regain your focus and ensure you are staying true to your business' values.
Even Fusion Creatives - who are good at a lot of things - aren't great at everything. If you want to do your best work, you need to stay focused on your best work. That means letting go of the stuff that's outside your zone of competence and even your zone of excellence, so that you can focus on your zone of genius. You may not be able to delegate everything right off the bat, but you can start somewhere. Which brings me to the next point...
Whether you are struggling to stay up to date with admin, or you feel overwhelmed every time you think about your tax return, there are many aspects of running a business many entrepreneurs dread. If you are starting to feel like more time is spent on answering the phone or chasing invoices, you may think too much of your time is spent on these areas and not enough on completing work.
If you find yourself facing a situation where all the extra tasks that go into running a business are taking so long you have very little time left to work; you may want to bring in some external help. Whether you get help from a virtual assistant to handle your phone calls or use the services of a sage accounting expert or a tax pro to help with your finances, having professional support can take a vast weight off your shoulders. With these pressures removed, you will be free to get back to doing what you do best and focus on producing work that your customers love.
Being in charge of a thriving business is a significant achievement, but there is no doubt that it can be incredibly tiring. When you feel tired and stressed and still have more work to complete, you may feel stifled, and your creativity may stop flowing. To ensure you stay creative and don't burn out, it is vital to take regular breaks. Time away from your desk is an excellent way to increase your productivity and ensure your creativity is free to flow without stress getting in the way.
Breaks aren't just for lunch time. Vacations are an important tool to step away from your work and get reinvigorated, re-inspired, and even find new sources of creative inspiration. That way, when you come back to your work, you're refreshed and ready to see things with a new perspective.