Depending on a work routine? Who me? The Queen of Creativity?

Yeah…I know…I couldn’t believe it myself, either.

But I,  Moi, the great “keep it all together gal” just up and lost my rhythm last month.

If you know me, perhaps you’re wondering: How did this happen to her? Why did it happen? The truth is, I don’t even know how or why myself.

Whatever, the reason, I felt like I was losing my sanity. And I know you can relate to that.

You see, everywhere in the world, we small business owners and entrepreneurs believe we are required to sacrifice routine on the doorstep of creativity. We worship creativity as the holy grail of success and when we feel we’re losing it, we begin to go crazy.

That was exactly where I found myself.  

But the truth is though, while this loss of rhythm and creativity was happening, work routine was quietly taking over.

I really didn’t notice it at first but it was helping me to function and hit my targets and remain professional. I was moving forward when I might otherwise be “spinning top in mud”.

It was then I realised: Oh My Gosh! Work routine had my back!

And boy…did I learn the value in work routine! I noticed that my productivity increased and my mental state became calmer. Best of all, I began to feel like I was achieving my personal development goals.

So I got to thinking…I really want to help you upscale your leadership skills by showing you examples of how a work  routine can really help you. Here are just 4 examples: 

1.  A work routine reignites your creativity

Think about it.

When you have a routine that’s working for you, you don’t have to negotiate with yourself to get you up and running. No wasting time checking to see if your creative juices are flowing and wondering why they are not. There is no need for you to even pause to think what to do next. You are just working, carried along on a wave of routine.

And in that moment, something wonderful happens…

Whether your realise it or not, you give your creative juices freedom to flow and you move from just following a routine, into now producing some of your best work. You see, it’s almost inevitable that inspiration will hit.

So don’t worry when you feel like you have lost your mojo, once you have a good work routine in place, add a little patience and it will reignite your creativity before you know it.

In other words, over the long run, the unglamorous habits of frequency and consistency, can not only reignite your creativity but it can save your sanity. 

2.  A work routine optimises your Spirituality

Let’s understand spirituality broadly as a sense of connection to something higher than ourselves.

If you do, now you immediately want to know how having a work routine can have anything to do with your spirituality.

First of all, it signals to the Universe that you’re still open to business.  That’s because when you have a work routine, and you’re working responsibly instead of blaming circumstances, all the stars line up to make sure you are appropriately rewarded.

In addition, you see your own output, so you know you can still do worthwhile work whatever the circumstances. And boy! That’s really good for your spirit. 

But let’s look at this a little deeper. To be productive no matter what, requires a shift in the way you show up for yourself. Once you shift the way you show up for yourself, you seem to automatically shift in the way you show up for others.

Not only is this good for your spirit, it’s also good for your sanity.

3.  Increases your leadership influence

One of the most significant role of a small business leader is to be an influencer. After all, this is how you move your team from resistance, to compliance to commitment.

One of the best ways to be an influential leader is to lead by example. Here’s why that matters.

By now you must know that your team can be just like children sometimes. They secretly have one eye on you and will do as you do, regardless of how many instructions you give them.

When you rely on some type of work routine to pull you through,  when you don’t even feel like showing up, your team notices. But more important than noticing, is how your behaviour impacts them. For example: 

• Your team begin to see you as a committed and credible leader who deserve their trust and respect
•  They follow your example as a standard and a benchmark for their own behaviour
• They are more inclined to want to help you achieve your vision
• Your behaviour naturally fosters a culture of togetherness and hard work

In essence, your work routine engenders and accelerates behaviour in your team which other small business owners are  fighting to have in their teams.

4.  Builds your self-confidence

If you’ve reached here by reading numbers 1 – 3, you now have a pretty sound idea of the benefits of having a solid routine that works for you. 

You know it reduces the panic and despair you feel with each passing day that you can’t get much done, whatever the reason.

When your life and work seem unmanageable, routine gives you a sense of control in your personal and business life.

And certainly, when you’re under stress, work routines allow you to continue to be productive, even when you do not feel like working.

All this culminates in an incredible rise in your self-confidence.

When your self-confidence is high, you create a team of people around you who give you the feedback that is critical to you leadership. Yes…at times this feedback can be sobering but your psyche can handle it. 

You also build great relationships that delight your customers, you shape your business just the way you want and you really skyrocket your revenue.

And of course it saves your sanity!

Your next “work routine” steps

So there you have them! My top 4 unusual ways having a work routine can save you sanity. 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m creativity and innovation biggest fan, after all, they are my number one working tools, right up there with having fun.

But when you lose your mojo, switch to routine. It ain’t sexy but it will certainly save your sanity.

So right here, right now, develop a routine, a practice, a way to do your work in a habitual, regular and reliable way.

In this way, you will have a tool to rely on when you lose your work rhythm or when you feel overwhelmed.

When you can make this happen, then and only then, you will know if you have a business or a hobby.

As a matter of fact, I have now come to the position that if you are to be truly successful, some sort of routine must be a big part of your working tools.

Moreover, it’s another strategy in your arsenal of super strategies you can use to drive your business success.

Remember…a work routine ain’t sexy but it will save your sanity!

Caring for your sanity…