Multi-passionate and overwhelmed? 5 tips for solopreneurs to stay focused
Do you know the feeling? You have lots of ideas, many interests, a wide range of talents and want to combine as many of them as possible? Then you’re in the same boat as me… In this blog post, I’d like to share five tips to help you stay focused as a multipassionate solopreneur (some also call it a “scanner” or “multipotential”). I now consistently implement these tips and hope they help you too.
My 5 tips for more focus as a solopreneur:
These tips are, of course, not the last word on the subject either, but they help me a lot!
1 Good project and time management is extremely important!
It sounds obvious, but it’s essential. Especially if you tend to get bogged down, a clear project management tool like ClickUp* helps you to structure your tasks and set milestones. I use ClickUp to organize my daily tasks, prioritize projects, and track my progress. It allows me to keep an eye on everything without feeling overwhelmed by the many tasks.
Or to take the comparison with ultra running: there are also milestones in an ultratrail, namely cut-off times during the race. If you don’t reach the various milestones in a certain time, you’ll be out of the race. It’s the same in business.
2 Eliminate time killers and distractions
This may sound like a standard tip, but it is extremely effective! I define times when I concentrate fully on my projects. During this time, email apps, social media and mobile phones are disabled or set to flight mode. For me, this means setting clear boundaries for when I work and when I’m available.
3 Learn to block out distractions or use them consciously
You can never completely eliminate distractions – after all, we don’t live in a vacuum. Instead of getting annoyed by every interruption, as I used to, I now consciously use them as practice. For example, I take little breaks to meditate or do breathing exercises. Short yoga sequences or somatic exercises help me to regain my concentration and continue working in a focused way. When you focus on your body, you often find mental clarity as well.
4 Keep an eye not only on your goal but also on the path
Sometimes the path to the goal is extremely long and rocky (as a former ultra trail runner, I know what I’m talking about!) and there is a great danger of leaving the marked route and going astray. As a solopreneur, you’ll discover many different things along the way that may distract you. You may think, “I could do that too, so and so does that.”
My tip: Stay focused and stick to your plan! If it turns out that your plan is not working, you can always change it.
If, for example, I want to train for a marathon, I also have a plan that I stick to in order to achieve a specific goal, e.g. to complete the < 3:30 h. However, if I realize in between that this goal is no longer appropriate (e.g. for health reasons), then I can still change it.
5. Create a balance
You can’t always work productively, of course. Time off is also extremely important. For example, I discovered running for myself during a difficult time, as well as yoga, Pilates, meditation… The important thing is to find the balance that suits you! If running isn’t your thing, then maybe cycling, walking, knitting… And if you’re very action-oriented and stressed, then it’s worth seeking out the exact opposite – relaxation. For me, it’s Yin Yoga, which balances me out both from stressful everyday life and from intensive running training (in contrast to running as a form of compensation, when I feel like it).
