In the Inside Living Savvy series, I’ll be sharing my experience of creating an online lifestyle program for women aspiring to live extraordinary lives. Join me for a peek behind the scenes.
The first stage of the Living Savvy journey, culminating in its launch on 16th September 2009, was a whirlwind of late nights, long meetings, high emotions and hard decisions. Last week I reflected on my experience and offered my first 3 tips for staying during the sane while launching a big project:
- Ask for support from family and friends
- Hire professional help
- Don’t forget to take care of you
Here’s the final 3!
4. Remember your big vision
When you do something BIG – whether it’s starting your own business, or launching a creative project, or even building a home – you have to know that some things will go wrong. There will be moments when people let you down, or the technology goes on strike, or your budget blows out, or… well, you get the picture.
There will be moments when you can’t see a way forward.
This is the time to remember your big vision. Think back to why you started on the journey and imagine how you will feel when you complete it successfully. Capture your thoughts in a sentence or two on a card and pin it on your office wall, or on sticky notes around your home. I was (and still am) fuelled by my vision for Living Savvy – showing women how to unlock their savvy potential and fine-tune the ordinary to live extraordinary. Let your vision fuel you through whatever challenges arise.
5. Focus on the next step
While your big vision is a touchstone to return to when you need inspiration, it can be overwhelming to think about it everyday. Particularly at the beginning of the process, when that vision is so far away, it is much better to focus on the next step. Hold to your plan, follow the sequence you have laid out, and ask, “what do I need to do right now to move forward?”
6. Enjoy the ride
At the risk of sounding like one of those a-little-too-exuberant motivational speakers: there’s no point doing it if you’re not going to have fun along the way. Of course, that doesn’t mean finding the positive side of every situation. Sometimes, you’re going to have a terrible day when the only recourse is a glass of wine and/or a block of chocolate. But don’t overlook opportunities to make unpleasant tasks a little more enjoyable, and don’t forget to celebrate your progress along the way.
Above all, remember to have some serious fun time outside of your business or project. Those are my top 6 tips for avoiding burn out during a big project.
What did I miss? Share your tips in the comments below.
Image by *saxon*
Related posts:
- Inside Living Savvy: How To Launch A Big Project Without Burning Out – Part 1
- Inside Living Savvy: When you should listen to what everyone is saying
- Inside Living Savvy: How I keep going when I’m scared witless
- Inside Living Savvy: When do you say ‘yes’ and when do you say ‘no’?
- Inside Living Savvy: What to do when your dreams don’t come fast enough
