Episode 20: Why your work ethic isn’t working

00:00 Before we get going, I have an invitation for you. If you're ready to find out how much easier it becomes to get things done when you have Make It Happen Club in your life? The doors are open to new members right now and i would love for you to join us! So Make It Happen club is a calm quiet sanctuary where you get the clarity focus and motivation you need Hello and welcome to Unfrazzle with me Louise Miller. If you're a solo business owner and you have a big exciting vision and loads of ideas that you want to get out in the world but without drowning in a sea of overwhelm, then this is the podcast for you. Each week I'll be sharing bite-sized insights to help you stop faffing and stay focused so you can make your brilliant ideas happen and make a bigger impact in the world It's time to step away from the hustle and find a kinder more sustainable approach to productivity So grab yourself a cuppa and let's get started

01:31 Sitting down for a laser mentoring session with one of my clients, I can see right away that she's exhausted. And when she begins to speak my suspicion is confirmed. Brow furrowed, she tells me about all the things that she has to do her mind is racing and stomach in knots and she's really worried about how she's going to fit it all in and it weighs really heavy on her shoulders. The thing Jessica is most anxious about is a new workshop which is committed to delivering early next month She tells me, I don't know what to do. I want to create something that i feel inspired by but right now I have no idea what that is and I can see the problem right away she's so busy and overwhelmed that she's in survival mode her nervous system is not happy And how can inspiration flow freely through a tight tangled knot of worry and stress? It's no wonder she's finding it impossible to come up with ideas So I ask her what inspires her

02:31 And there's a pause. And then she says, well... A week away from everything usually does the trick So okay! If it is not possible to take a full week out right now Is there anything you could do To create a mini version of that in the next few weeks? and she pauses again and then she says I suppose i could take myself off to a lovely cafe for a few hours if i can find the time By the end of that 15 minute laser mentoring session She has made a commitment to herself Shes going to take her book to a cafe thats surrounded by greenery She's going to give her brain a rest and begin loosening the knot without needing to do anything more than enjoy her book and a lovely cuppa. And I've been having a lot of conversations like this recently with clients feeling up against it, desperate for space but struggling to take it So how about you? Are you craving that space too? What if it were normal accepted permitted for taking that space to be part of your working week

03:33 What if taking space was actually expected? Can you imagine how much more creative, innovative, energized and connected we'd be. But instead we've been raised in a culture that tells us that real work means sitting at our desks with our heads down and so you know, we cram our days full of doing in order to feel good about ourselves. It's a hangover from the industrial revolution when people had to clock in and out and when productivity was actually directly related to the amount of time they spent their work station But the trouble is most of us are still running this outdated version of a work ethic that's been handed down to us through the generations but that simply doesn't make sense in today's knowledge economy. And it has been shown by people much cleverer than I, that there is a point where doing more does not actually produce more

04:25 Instead of seeing those things as break time, I wonder what would happen if we started to view being away from our desks as valid work time What if taking space became an important business activity, no different from me recording this podcast sending an invoice or showing up for a client? During that laser mentoring call with Jessica I suggested that it might help to view her time reading in a cafe as work and i said that to her because i knew that if she saw it as a morning off there was a very good chance that it wouldn't happen because how could she possibly justify taking a morning off when she's already overwhelmed by how much she has to do.

05:16 But if she could view getting into a different environment and reading for an hour or two as an important necessary part of the process that is going to allow her to create the fabulous and inspiring workshop, then she's way more likely to do it. And hopefully without feeling guilty! So if I'm honest, it does sadden me a bit that we need to frame this much needed space as work But undoing a lifetime of programming just doesn't happen overnight. Your work ethic will probably shout louder than my gentle invitation to take a break! So whilst I strongly believe that our self-worth has nothing to do with how much we get done and that we all deserve and need time to rest, breathe and have fun if the only way we can give that to ourselves is to acknowledge how important it is to our productivity then so be it

06:04 If you're craving space right now but you feel it's a waste of time or luxury that you can't afford, or that you're not allowed to take it maybe its time for a reframe. Taking space is an important part of your work so please go put in your diary and then make sure you take it! I hope this helps and am looking forward to seeing again soon Thank you for listening to Unfrazzle. Sharing is caring, so if you loved this episode please share it on your socials or head over to Spotify iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts and leave me a review not only will I be hugely grateful Your ratings and reviews will help others to find this podcast So that even more people can make their ideas happen Thanks so much and see you next time