I’ve had so many conversations with entrepreneurs who say things like…
“I work 24/7. I’m always on my computer or phone. My schedule is jammed. I can’t remember the last time I took an actual weekend or did anything ‘spontaneously’ or ‘just for fun’. I literally don’t even know what ‘fun’ is anymore.”
As a culture, it’s like we’ve forgotten how to have fun. (Cue: monotone robot voice: “Fun? What is this… fun that you speak of?”)
Why is this happening?
One reason is that we rarely take the time to celebrate our wins and our efforts.
Think about it: the last time you finished a project, or created a class, or raised your prices, or wrote a batch of new blog posts… did you celebrate? Did you tip a glass of champagne in your honor? Or enjoy a frothy latte in your favorite park? Or get a 15-minute chair massage? Or watch a ridiculous YouTube video just for kicks?
Probably not, right? You just rushed right along to the next item on your to-do list. So many of us do this. Our workdays are all rush-rush-rush, all stress, and no fun.
Many of us believe we’re not “allowed” to celebrate until we accomplish something BIG. Like, until we make 6-figures or 7-figures, or host a huge event, or get a book deal. And even then, we often steamroll right over the accomplishment and forget to celebrate.
This is a pattern we’ve got to break. We should continually celebrate our efforts, big and small, because it keeps us feeling excited about our work, and because it makes business a whole lot more fun!
Here’s my challenge for you…
Schedule a 15-minute pleasure-break every single day. Put it onto your calendar.
You can call it a pleasure-break (like I do), or a celebration-break, or a fun-break, or any term that you want. Just do it. Give yourself a sliver of time to acknowledge your efforts, to reward yourself, and celebrate your “win of the day,” whatever it may be.
If you’re like, “OMG, I don’t know how to celebrate! I forget how to have fun! I am numb, cold, and dead inside! I am a lump of frozen albacore tuna!”… allow me to inspire you.
Here’s a list of things you can do during your next 15-minute pleasure-break:
: Write down 3 of your favorite “wins” from the past month (personal and/or professional) and then email them to a friend. Then say, “Now you do it! Your turn!”
: Write a mushy, gushing 5-star review for a business you love. (You’ll feel so good—and they will, too!)
: Plan a staycation or vacation, even if it’s happening a whole year from now. Bookmark your fantasy hotel and ogle the photos. So fun.
: Take a walk around the block… without your phone.
: Have a 3-minute dance party in your living room.
: Make a snack, serve it on a pretty plate, and eat it slowly with no distractions.
: Meditate.
: Or pretend to meditate but actually just laugh hysterically.
: Snuggle your pup/kitty/another animal. (Not your goldfish, though. Death and despair will ensue.)
: Re-arrange your desk until it feels pleasurable
: Buy yourself flowers or have them delivered. Arrange them in a pretty vase.
: Color! Adult coloring is so hot right now.
: Find a high school or college student who wants to make $15 an hour doing… whatever. Pay them to mop, sweep, run errands, chop veggies, drop things off at the post office, anything you don’t want to do. Clearing boring stuff off your plate is so much fun! Remember: delegate and celebrate are basically the same word! :-O
Don’t wait until you’ve “made it big” (whatever that even means) to celebrate.
Celebrate now. Celebrate all of your efforts. Celebrate the big victories and the small, quiet efforts, too. Reward yourself daily. And please, set aside at least 15 minutes every day to just have some fun. You won’t believe what a difference this makes to your mood, to your energy levels, and productivity. Fun changes lives—and businesses, too. It has definitely changed mine.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to grab a latte, eat some chocolate, and snuggle with my Shih Tzu, Lily.
Because… #Priorities. And because… #StressEqualsEarningLess. And… #CelebrationLeadsToCreation.