🧠Weekly Mind Sweep No. 164 | What’s On My Mind | Consistency
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In the MindSweep this week:
Curated Conversation with curated GIF’s & puns (for your entertainment).
Jamie’s Second Brain Corner: Links to references. Need a map? I’ve got you!
What’s I’m Reading - Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents
Collaborations with Terri Hamilton (Thursday) & Shannon Giordano and the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce
My face đź’ś and a link to schedule your free consultation.
Consistency isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula—it’s a unique rhythm you create that aligns with how your brain works.
You are not alone in dodging the projects that genuinely matter by diving into tasks that felt productive but never truly moved the needle in your business. #Procrastiworking [1]
As creative and heart-centered entrepreneurs, our minds are a wild, untamed force: one minute, they burst with ideas; the next, they’re off chasing a new distraction.
And that’s okay.
Remember in Week 161, we used a fire analogy? Starting that fire wasn’t about throwing every match into the wet wood—it was about nurturing a tiny spark until it caught.
Consistency doesn’t have to look like someone else’s hustle.
It might start as a single spark—a small action you nurture over time—and sometimes, you might need to take a big bite to get things moving. The secret is finding the path of least resistance for you.
Let’s sweep the brain…
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Here are five practical solutions to consider to build your own consistent rhythm:
Embrace Micro-Habits: Start Small, Build Gradually
When it comes to creating consistent routines, less can be more. Start with micro-habits that honor your natural flow rather than overwhelming you with an all-or-nothing approach. Think of it as nurturing that initial spark—your brain needs repetition to build neural pathways, much like layering the perfect bed of kindling for a lasting fire.
How to Start:
Dedicate Five Minutes: Set a timer for just five minutes. Use this time to jot down ideas, draft a quick post, or outline your thoughts. The goal is to ease into a routine without pressure.
Celebrate Tiny Wins: Even if it’s a brief moment of creativity, celebrate that win. These micro-wins fuel your motivation and help reinforce the habit loop—cue, routine, reward.
This approach turns your consistency journey into a series of small, manageable steps.
Over time, these five-minute bursts accumulate into a powerful habit that propels your creative work forward.
Create Visual Cues and Flexible Routines:
Your surroundings play a huge role in shaping your behavior. For many creative entrepreneurs, visual cues can serve as reminders that guide your daily actions without feeling forced. The idea is to design an environment that naturally draws you into your work.
How to Create Visual Cues:
Dedicated Workspace: Carve out a cozy, inspiring nook where you can work—this space should be free from distractions and filled with items that spark joy or creativity.
Visual Reminders: Visualize your tasks using sticky notes, your MindSweep Map, or even a digital calendar. These cues act as gentle nudges to help you remember your commitment, even on days when motivation is scarce. [2]
Flexible Scheduling: Recognize that your creative energy ebbs and flows. Some days, you might feel like taking a big bite of your work; on others, you might prefer nibbling at it in small increments. Build flexibility into your schedule so that it adapts to your natural rhythm instead of working against it.
By designing your environment to support your creative process, you create a safety net that catches your attention and gently guides you back to your work—even when distractions loom.
Adopt the "Eat the Frog" Strategy: Tackle the Tough Tasks First
Sometimes, building momentum means confronting your most challenging tasks head-on. The "eat the frog" approach is about doing the hard thing first—tackling that one daunting project that holds the power to move the needle in your business.
How to Get Started:
Identify Your Frog: Pinpoint the task that, if completed, would have the most significant impact on your goals. It might be a challenging project you’ve been avoiding or a crucial step that’s been lingering on your to-do list.
Schedule It First: Dedicate a block of your day to this task. You set a powerful tone for the rest of your day by prioritizing the toughest work when your energy is highest.
Break It Down: Divide the daunting task into smaller, manageable steps. Even if the project feels overwhelming as a whole, taking incremental actions will build momentum and reduce anxiety.
Reward Yourself: Once you’ve tackled the frog, celebrate that accomplishment. The sense of relief and achievement will motivate you to carry that momentum into subsequent tasks.
Embracing this strategy boosts your productivity and reinforces your confidence in handling the hard stuff—making consistency a natural part of your creative process.
Leverage a Personalized Accountability System: Track and Adjust
Consistency isn’t static—it evolves as you learn more about what works for your unique brain.
An accountability system that’s tailored to your needs can help you track progress, identify patterns, and adjust your strategies over time.
How to Set Up Your System:
Use a Simple Checklist: Whether it’s a physical notebook or a digital app, list your daily or weekly tasks. Checking off these small tasks provides a tangible sense of accomplishment and reinforces your commitment. (Oh, hey, dopamine!)
Set Small, Clear, Achievable Goals: Instead of vague statements like “be more consistent,” set a small and very specific, measurable goal. For example, “I will write a five-minute idea session every morning for a month.” This clarity makes it easier to monitor progress.
Regular Reviews: Once a week, take a few moments to reflect on what worked and what didn’t. Adjust your routine based on your energy levels and creative flow.
Remember, consistency is about finding your rhythm—not about following someone else’s blueprint.
This personalized approach keeps you accountable and turns consistency into a dynamic practice that grows and adapts with you. It’s like tending to a fire: you constantly add small bits of wood and adjust the airflow to keep it burning steadily.
Cultivate a Mindfulness Reset Routine: Harness the Power of the Pause
Our creative minds are always buzzing, often juggling countless ideas and tasks simultaneously.
For entrepreneurs, learning to hit the pause button is key to maintaining focus and nurturing your inner fire. A mindfulness reset routine can help you step back, recalibrate, and return to your work with renewed energy.
How to Create a Mindfulness Reset Routine:
Schedule Short Breaks: Integrate brief, intentional pauses into your day. Even a 2-3 minute mindful break—whether it’s deep breathing, a quick meditation, or simply stepping away from your desk—can help clear your mental clutter.
Use Mindfulness Prompts: Consider setting a gentle alarm or reminder on your phone to prompt you to pause and check in with yourself. Ask, “How am I feeling? What’s the one thing I need right now to refocus?”
Reflect and Adjust: Use these moments to acknowledge what distracted you and how you might create a more supportive environment. Whether you tweak your workspace or adjust your task list, these insights can be invaluable in maintaining consistency.
Integrating mindful resets into your routine allows your brain to recharge and recalibrate.
This helps you manage distractions and builds a resilient, sustainable habit of focusing on what truly matters.
Your Consistency Journey: A Call to Action
Consistency doesn’t require you to mimic another’s schedule or force a rigid routine upon yourself. Whether you prefer taking small, deliberate bites or making bold leaps when inspiration strikes, what matters is that you find your unique rhythm.
By embracing micro-habits, designing a supportive environment, “eating the frog,” creating a personalized accountability system, and/or utilizing mindfulness, you’re not just building a habit—you’re building a sustainable way of showing up for yourself, your business, and the client that thrives on the creative gifts you bring to the world.
If you’re looking for more guidance or a supportive hand on your journey to consistency, I’m here to help. As a business consultant, I specialize in working with creative entrepreneurs just like you—supporting you to uncover and refine the unique strategies that illuminate your gifts!
Feel free to reach out, and let’s light that spark together.
Keep finding your rhythm.
[3] Link below in the Jamie’s Second Brain Corner to listen to the whole song.
My questions for you this week :
How do you define your unique rhythm of consistency?
Is there one micro-habit you could commit to trying that could help nurture your creativity and build momentum in your business?
Reply and share with me!
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Jamie’s Second Brain Corner:
[1] Procrastiworking - How to recognize it and when to stop - I’m busy Being Awesome Podcast
[2] Did someone say MindSweep MAP?! Learn more about my Personalized MindSweep Mapping Process.
Collaborations!
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