How to Stay Motivated as a Creative Entrepreneur
If you’re a creative entrepreneur like myself, you know that the creative process and executing a client’s vision is the (relatively!) easy part of running a business. It’s all of the things in between that can be unmotivating – the management, the day-to-day admin tasks, or even sticking to a strict schedule.
By nature, creatives are doers. We thrive when we’re elbow-deep in pulling off a design, when we’re working with flowers, or when we’re putting the final touches on an installation. However, it’s equally important that we maintain our motivation through every facet of our work. Here are my top tips for doing just that and keeping your spark alive.
Don’t be afraid to outsource
A hugely common misconception about being an entrepreneur is that you have to shoulder every task within your business. In fact, I learned that this is quite the opposite. In order for any business to run smoothly – let alone a creative one – it’s important to let yourself admit where you need help.
For instance, if you aren’t good at bookkeeping or handling administrative work, there are plenty of resources to hire an accountant or a virtual assistant. If you struggle with keeping up with your social media, outsource for someone part-time to take the reins. All of these moving parts need direction, and if you can’t successfully keep up, there’s no shame in delegating these tasks so that you can focus on your creative efforts.
Make sure that your team is equally goal-oriented
Whether you have one person on your team or if you’re running a well-oiled machine of 10+ employees, it’s crucial that everyone is on the same page. If there’s anything I’ve learned during my decades in business, it’s that you can’t move forward and stay motivated if your team isn’t also goal oriented.
While it’s true that this would typically be established during the hiring process, you are completely capable of doing regular check-ins to ensure that everyone is on track. Be open with what your goals are for the upcoming quarter and let them know what your schedule looks like as well so that they know what to expect from you. If necessary, this is also a great opportunity to set boundaries and establish expectations as new projects arise.
Staying organized and on-task
I’ll be the first to admit that a large factor in motivation upkeep is how organized you are and how well you stay on-task. If you’re someone who is creatively driven or more of a hands-on, visual learner, you may struggle when it comes to working at a desk day in and day out. Thankfully, you can easily remedy this.
Firstly, you’ll want to find a formula that works for you. If you know that you’ll get something done if it’s on your calendar, block-scheduling could be right up your alley. Set aside time to answer emails or go through new inquiries. Utilize organizational apps such as Google Drive, Dropbox, or Evernote and give everything a home. Staying caught-up and making everything more manageable won’t leave room for you to fall behind and ultimately feel unmotivated.
Half of the battle lies in how you approach your everyday to-do list. You may not be in the studio every single hour of your workday or crafting beautiful tablescapes, but finding solutions behind-the-scenes will help you in the long run.
Photos by: Rene Zadori Photography
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