SEPARATE YOUR WORK AND CREATIVE SPACE
This next step has nothing to do with business principles, but rather your business mindset. When you are a solopreneuer, or in our case an authorpreneur, quite often we work wherever we happen to be. Or we make space on the kitchen counter or in our bedroom. I’ve learned from my past experience, this may be great for creativity, but not necessarily good for your business.
As an indie, or self-published author, we have many business activities, such as:
- writing ad copy
- evaluating our marketing
- keeping track of our money
- writing the blurb for our books
When we use a dedicated space where we do these tasks, it becomes easier to take off our creative hat and put on our business hat. Entering our office to work on these tasks informs our subconscious brains that it’s time to work and focus on those business tasks—not on the latest creative idea.
In addition, it’s very easy for many of us to become workaholics and always be working, especially when we work from home. It’s great to have an office where you go in, shut the door, and work. It clues family members that you’re really not home and available.
When you’re done for the day, you go through the door to end the day, shutting it behind you. This tells your subconscious that work time is done and now it’s personal time. When you shut the door, it creates a physical barrier for you spending all hours of the day (or night) working.
You have to open the door to go back to work, which gives your conscious brain a moment to take control. Do you really need to go in, or can that task wait until your normal business hours tomorrow?
Some authors need two separate places where they work. One for the creative work and one for their business work. You may want to experiment to find what works for you.
If you don’t already, look around your house to determine if there’s a space you can turn into your office. This can be a completely separate place, such as an extra bedroom, or a corner of your bedroom or living room.
Experiment how it makes you feel and affects your work productivity to only do your work in this space. Play with if it makes a difference for your creativity and productivity to have a separate space for your writing and one for your business activities.
If you want to know more about how to treat your writing as a business, get this book
If you need more help in developing your author business, an Author Business Development VIP day may be what you need.
