If you want to grow your business and reach the next level of success it is imperative that you create an environment around you that supports this. In my previous blogs I have shared my best tips on how and why decluttering your environment is key to your success. In this blog I will be sharing why it is imperative to create different environments to undertake the different roles that you need to get done in your business.
The big mistake that most business owners make is that they insist of doing all the activities in their business from the same place. You create an office in your home and then conduct all the activities from here. This is a big mistake as it results in us mixing up the different energies of business and this creates stress and overwhelm.
Sitting at a desk to try to study your finances, getting interrupted by phone calls, and then going back to your spreadsheet is like trying to freeze ice and boil water all in the same place. An enormous amount of energy is spent simply trying to switch from one state to another. Of course this is going to cause stress.
The key to cut stress and increase flow is to create a rhythm in your space and time, with five different places linked to your talents.
The ultimate example of this can been seen at Vision Villas in Bali where Roger Hamilton has designed five different pavilions that create five different types of energy. Each of the different energies speaks to each of the different activities of – what, who, when how and why as defined in the Talent Dynamics Pentagram.
Dynamo Space: This is your space to brainstorm, write creatively, come up with new ideas, and answer the question, What? Make it a place where you can pin things up and see the big picture. Don’t take phone calls here or text-message or use any kind of social media. Don’t get stuck in details or distracted by others.
Blaze Space: This is your space to have conversations, answer emails, take phone calls, and answer the question, Who? When you step into this space, you will have everyone’s contact information close at hand, photos of people who are important, and Post-it notes of conversations and threads to follow. Make this a space of conversation, where there is no room to daydream or procrastinate.
Tempo Space: This is your space to be calm and grounded, and to sit with team members to plan or with clients to listen. This is where everything has a When? and Where? This isn’t a place to promote or sell, but a place to provide care and service and take care of smaller people-related activities. Don’t let any overly positive or overly negative energy into this space.
Steel Space: This space allows you to concentrate on the detail, get quiet time, and focus clearly on the How? This is where you keep all your finances and spreadsheets, and where all your detailed files can be easily accessed. Keep out all interruptions, and have no phones, emails, or distractions in this space. Be willing to be critical and to take criticism from here.
Spirit Space: This space inspires you and allows you to reflect on your higher purpose and bigger mission. This is where you get to breathe and bring out your inner smile.
Initially many of you might be thinking Julia there is no way I can carve out all these different spaces at home. I’d invite you to think again. I know a professional speaker who goes to a coffee shop to get inspired and do his creative writing. The energy and the buzz of the coffee shop inspires him. For myself, my spirit space is my hot tub where I can rest and relax in the evening whilst looking at the night sky and become connected to nature. I often find that some of my best creative ideas come when I spend time with my horses – sitting in the field my mind has the opportunity to be free from any constraints and I always find new ideas for my business surface pop up. What environments can you create for yourself that will impact your business success?.
Think about a chef. When they get in the kitchen, they mark out a “Dynamo” Space to “grow” (to keep things fresh), a “Blaze” Space to “glow” (the oven to cook in), a “Tempo” Space to “slow” (the chopping board and blender to separate and connect), a “Steel” Space to “know” (keeping things cool in the fridge and freezer), and the “Spirit” Space to “flow” (the serving space where it all comes together). Then with the ingredients, the recipe and their spaces, preparing the meal is all about right place, right time.
What are the productive environments that you can create to redesign the standards by which you place your mind, body, and spirit each day? What’s the pallet in which you’re creating your masterpiece? Even if you have a full-time job or have your hands full with children, there is always a way to reorganize your time and space to bring out your best self.
Remember there’s an order to everything, and organizing your time and your spaces allows you to move through the seasons with more ease and grace, the way nature meant it to be.
In nature, nothing is rushed, yet all is accomplished.
Julia Felton (aka The Business Wrangler) is the founder of Business HorsePower. Business leaders, entrepreneurs and executives hire her to accelerate their business performance by harnessing the energy of their people to work more collaboratively together. By aligning purpose with actions the team achieves exponential results as everyone starts pulling in the same direction.
Julia believes that business is a force for good and through designing purpose-driven businesses that leverage the laws of nature, and the herd, you can create businesses founded on the principles of connection, collaboration and community that make a significant impact in the world.
