Goal-Smashing Planning Techniques for Creative Business

Going into the new year, I had a refreshed perspective about planning.

Because in 2020, I let some of my goals go without stressing about it. I took some time off to enjoy several other creative hobbies I hadn’t done in a while.

After a few months of making polymer clay earrings, doing home decor projects, and working on my fiber arts brand, I dove back into my Ponder Trail business tasks. But this time, with a different mindset.

It was still 2020, after all, so I decided to just take it day by day without planning or setting too many goals.

But what happened surprised me: I ended up checking off more things on my to-do and projects list than I had expected. My productivity somehow increased, and I achieved several goals earlier than I’d originally intended.

I launched my first few digital products for Ponder Trail, officially opening the entrepreneur resource shop that’s been on my list for a while now. I brought on new clients. Blogging became easier than ever. And all without following a rigid schedule or routine. It kind of blew my mind.

After some reflecting, I realized what had changed: I spent less time over-thinking, balancing all the things, and maintaining the status quo. And instead, I spent more time doing high-impact tasks, focusing on only 1-3 goals at once, and prioritizing project-creation.

I had much more clarity, and my productivity increased drastically once all of the extra things were off my plate and weren’t competing for my attention.

So going into January this year, I knew I wanted to restructure the way I tackle tasks, using my 2020 findings as a jumping-off point.

The main hang-ups that linger in the background of managing business to-do’s are typically (1) not feeling prepared enough (hence not taking action), and (2) feeling torn in too many directions (hence not being able to stay focused).

I knew plans and strategy were still they key to getting things done, but I wanted to simplify things and be more efficient.

I needed to find a way to still work towards my desired goals while also have less to manage at a time—and fast: I had no plan, and it was already one week into January, and my first launch for the year was fast approaching.

And then, I had an idea . . .

How to Avoid and Defeat Overwhelm in Creative Business

When overwhelm starts to show it’s ugly head, it’s time to take action and stop it in its tracks.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, it might be a sign that something isn’t quite right.

Sometimes it can be out of our control, but often times, it’s tied to how we are approaching our business and managing things. If you’ve been spinning your wheels or find yourself stuck in a cycle of trying-and-failing, it’s time to take control.

Overwhelm can quickly lead to burnout if it hasn’t already.

But not to worry, I have your back with some tried-and-true strategies.

Try these tricks to put overwhelm at bay.

5 Simple Steps to Create a Mobile Office Kit

We’re all spending more hours working in our houses these days.

But it isn’t always possible to dedicate a space in your home for your business. Sometimes a work area looks like a the kitchen counter, coffee table, or couch, and with a little creativity, your home probably has a few great places to hunker down and get work done.

The goal of any workspace is to be a productive setting to get work done. And when we’re hustling hard or working on a project, it’s usually best practice to create some sort of setup to help your work sessions be efficient.

But when you don’t have an office or a desk, you might not want to leave your stuff set up round the clock.

The key is finding the right balance. You want your workspace to be quick to set up and easy to tear down. Otherwise, the process takes time away from your day and creates a hundred extra steps between you and getting to work.

What’s the solution? You need a mobile office system.

This summer, I came up with a simple way to pack up my office to work productively from anywhere.

My friend and fellow creative, Caitlynn, requested this blog post, so I made it a little extra special by including lots of images. In fact, I did a photoshoot so I could show you exactly what I use. I hope you enjoy the tutorial!

How to Stay Productive while Working from Home

During the hiatus I took this spring, I spent some time brainstorming new content ideas for the rest of the year.

And today, I’m excited to introduce the latest resource to Ponder Trail: videos!

I wanted to try switching up the format for how I give tips for creative business and brand strategy, and what better way to share it that with video?

I will be uploading to the blog and my YouTube channel twice a week, on Wednesdays and Fridays. Each time I upload a video, I will add it as a new blog post with all of the info mentioned in the video.

Since I love talking about productivity and working from home, I figured it would be the perfect video to start with. I hope you enjoy!

Motivation, Productivity, Time Management, Youtube VideoSarah ForestAugust 12, 2020creative entrepreneurComment

How to Stay Productive while Working from Home During Isolation or Quarantine

While many creative entrepreneurs have already been working from home, in recent months, people around the globe have faced strict social restrictions and isolation orders. This has taken away the much-needed work days at coffee shops that entrepreneurs often rely on to stay productive and to get out of the house throughout the week.

With productivity in jeopardy from being stuck at home for months on end, it's easy to slow down, get behind, or take days off unintentionally—simply because your drive to work has dwindled. But when starting, running, or scaling your own business, it's critical to keep working and getting things done.

So what is an entrepreneur to do when their livelihood is tottering at the top of a mountain along with their close-to-plummeting motivation?

You've got to push through and boost your productivity so you can get tasks done!

So here are 11 of my favorite work-from-home essentials to stay motivated and get back into the groove.

How I Work from Home and Stay Productive

Working from home is a huge blessing that comes with having my own business. And while most of the time it’s amazing, it does pose its own challenges.

Common struggles among creative entrepreneurs living the work-from-home life often include managing time, limiting distractions, and avoiding the dreaded cooped up feeling.

Over the course of five years of working primarily from home, I’ve tried countless methods to overcome these hangups—and boy did they plague me when I was first starting out.

After all of the trial-and-error, I’ve honed in on the top strategies that made running an online business from home a magical experience.

So here are 11 simple practices I follow to help me stay productive each day.

3 Goal Setting Hang-Ups, and Solutions for Each

Setting and reaching a goal consists of 3 main stages:

the part that depends on your time, resources, and tools
the part that relies on your know-how and abilities
the part that counts on you doing the work

These areas each create their own hurdles around achieving goals. Over the years, I’ve struggled with all three of the hang-ups above, and today I’m sharing my best insights on how to overcome them.

With goals, we either tend to overaim with excitement or under-aim with overwhelm. Both often result in feeling stuck. But instead, we need to find the right balance to bust through roadblocks like these.

Good news is, goals are infinitely easier to set and achieve with you are equipped with the right tools in your pocket.

If you are struggling to start or grow your creative business, don’t extinguish your dreams before you have a good run! Give it your best shot with the tips in today’s blog post.

How to Create a Productive and Inspiring Workspace (at Home or in an Office)

What do you love most about a good workspace? For many creative entrepreneurs, it’s natural light, a clutter-free feel, a lack of distractions, and cozy, comfy vibes. These all work together to create an inspirational space that allows us to work productively on our businesses.

Whether you have an entire office at your disposal or a tiny corner in your living room, today I’m sharing 10 simple steps for creating an enjoyable workspace—no matter your setup.

If you want your work zone to feel like a productive retreat you get to return to each day, let this blog post be your guide.

How to Stay Motivated in Your Creative Business

Chasing your business dreams is an adventure. There’re bends in the path, forks in the road, and rocks you might stumble over.

One of the biggest pitfalls is losing the excitement and desire to work hard and pursue those dreams. And unfortunately, it’s often an easy path to find yourself on.

Motivation is what gets you from point A to point B. It’s essential to the success of your business because it sustains you along the trail to your X’s on the map.

Today’s blog post is for the times you experience a lull in your drive for your creative business (or if you just want to give your motivation a boost).

Dive into 10 ways to stay motivated and help you spring into action each day.

Productivity, Business, MotivationSarah ForestSeptember 17, 2018Motivation, Blog Pod, creative business Comments

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