Hey so you’ve decided to work for yourself girlfriend?
Omg, greattttttt! 

When I first started, I gave myself 3-months to try it and figure it out. And I liked it. No wait, I l-o-v-e-d the autonomy. Not having to ask for days off (spontaneous Napa trip? Okur), traveling whenever I wanted to, creating things I was proud of: livin’ my fantasy. But then reality Adele’d me and was all like hello.

As in the rent reality of living in a city that fights to wear the name of the most expensive city hit me. 

As in the comparison reality that there are many talented creatives doing what I do and I need to set myself apart.

So I did what every trendy #girlboss instagram account told me to do:

hustlehustlehustle

And you know what came about?

burnoutburnoutburnout

And I don’t want that to happen to you. Or to me again.

Because I’m not writing this about my past self 3-months into entrepreneurship and those past lessons; I’m even writing this to the current 4+ years into business me who still gets burned out and sinks back into bad habits and finds herself unfairly pissy at people. Welcome to my mind where I thought, “why is she texting me that she’s at the meeting place already and making me feel late. I’m on my way. Argh!!!! she’s the one who is 8-minutes early!” 

Aye yai yai. That was me yesterday. Finding myself mad at someone for being early. Help.

I know this pattern too well:

Work is heavy on my mind. I can’t turn off my brain. Overworking. Not eating. Losing sleep. I’m exhausted. My body is tired. My soul is tired.

This isn’t sustainable.

And worst of all, when I’m like this, I can’t show up for people.  For my clients, my family, my friends; the people I loved.

And when I have the clarity to ask myself to what end was is all this hustle for. I’m ironically reminded that it’s to make a better world and to provide for the people I care for. I often fall into the trap of hustling so hard to get to that future that I miss showing up for the people I care for in the now.

And I don’t want this to happen to you. Maybe you’re crushing it and feeling great or maybe you’re reading this in your yoga pants and sweatshirt that you’ve been in the last 3 days because right now you’re queen of namaste; whether it’s the right timing for reading this or maybe you’re reading for prevention, let me share with you 4 tips to make you more sustainable as a creative entrepreneur or honestly 4 tips to make you sustainable as an adult:

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1. Clarify your purpose and remind yourself of it daily

Mine is, “Honor God by honoring my strengths and my limits while enriching the lives of other with beauty, humor, and authenticity.”  A purpose should be personalized and others focused.

2. Say “No” to more things

Ask yourself, “do these opportunities align with my purpose?” And yes, this means saying “no” to a lot of good things. Save your yeses for the best things. And that means tighter boundaries about work. Set up work hours. No more laptop for me after 7pm. But if you have to install on your laptop Flux which dims your screen and it helps your eyes not be as strained. And listen to me: have a real day off. Put it on your calendar. And stick to it.

3. Invest In Sleep

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Shawn Stevenson author of the book Sleep Smarter says, “Make your bedroom a sacred place where peace, calm, and relaxation are overflowing.” Peace, calm, and relaxation? Sign me up! Here’s what I did to create a sleep sanctuary:

A) I traded my hand-me-down mattress for a new mattress that was made without any harsh chemicals since I knew I would be spending about a third of my day with it. I discovered Avocado Green Mattress (points for branding for my tastebuds) through the podcast Hey Change. It is a company started by parents wanting to find a green and natural mattress for their son and couldn’t so they decided to create their own. This pillow-y goodness of a mattress is made out of natural, bio-degradable materials. And each mattress is handmade in California. I love supporting a local business that cares about the lifespan of its products and those that use it. Day one with the mattress took some adjusting since my body was used to my slumpy mattress but by night two I was loving it more and it continually gets better with every shut-eye.

B) I also upgraded my old t-shirts for actual pajamas. Changing into designated clothes for sleep tells my mind and body that z’s are important and it’s time to dial back. Mega good dreams have happened with this sleep romper (but ok forgive me if I end up wearing this soft, silky number out in daytime!) by the female-empowerment subscription box company Burgundy Fox. Every box also contributes one undergarment to I Support The Girls, an organization that equips homeless women with the products & garments they need. Cheers to socially-impactful businesses.

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C) I also snagged blackout curtains (white on the inside obvi #aesthetics), an eye mask, and earplugs.

D) Lastly, I followed an online tutorial and made my own lavender spray and spray it on my pillows nightly:

4. Ask For Help

As go-getters this was the one that is tough for me because it means admitting I can’t do it all. Reality: you are not Beyonce. Double reality: Beyonce has help.

A) Find Community

Finding your tribe of people who get you makes huge difference. You may find it with your hobby, through a book club, through mutual friends, via Bumble, wherever. My San Francisco family I found in my neighborhood and church and they have been the ones to have my back through all my seasons. For this entrepreneur life, the Tuesdays Together monthly meeting by the Rising Tide Society has been where I have found my creative tribe. And there is probably one that meets in your city. A huge part for me is not only finding these trust-worthy people but also having the guts to tell them what I need.

B) Talk to a specialist

I made an appointment with a doctor who specializes in functional, whole-body medicine. She really listened to my lifestyle and habits as a whole and helped me with natural supplements for better mood and a better sleep. I also sought a therapist who taught me tools like self-dialoguing, journaling, and meditation to help me overcome some of my bad habits and help me mentally thrive.

C) Delegate & Automate

Like anything you can: social media posts, invoices, and even floss, haha.  Whether that’s using an app or hiring an assistant or taking on an intern for that extra work, do it. That mind real estate is worth it.

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I am still a work in progress. But my new mantra is restrestrest.

Try it on. It can be your new mantra too!

Take it slow (bonus: check out my friend Sarah’s Instagram account for more wisdom on this #slowentrepreneur movement) & take it easy.

I want this entrepreneurship journey of yours to last.

Let’s be people who know how to rest from work so we can work from rest.

We need a little boredom, a little stillness for the epiphanies and the ahas. 

And it’s in this stillness and peace that creativity happens.

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Do you have more thoughts on how to be sustainable as a creative entrepreneur? I’d love to hear them! Write it in the comments below.