When was the last time you took your business on a date night?
No, I haven’t lost it. Yes, I am for real. Hear me out.
My husband and I “lost” date night for almost four years. We moved to a state with no family and few friends with a 4 month old. We didn’t have a cushy amount of money, but even if we had we couldn’t find a regular babysitter. And when we could find one, we used it to network, rebuild a (not online) business in a new place. As I’m sure you can imagine, it put a real toll on our marriage.
And I bet you’re doing the same thing to your business right now. You’re pushing, straining. You’re hustling, and not in the good way. When you get an extra resource, you use it to plug whatever big hole you see, just like when I got a rare babysitter I used it to network (make money) instead of work on my foundation (marriage).
It’s hard to be creative in my business when my home life is stressed. I know you feel the same.
Plan a date for your business. One that’s just silly and fun and one that gives you a feeling of luxury. I assure you, date nights need not cost an arm and a leg. I’ve had just as much fun playing Monopoly over a couple of beers as I have at fancy restaurants. But sometimes, one or the other will get you into a different mood or feeling and is worth the occasional splurge.
Date Night selfie: because I don’t bring cameras on real dates or it turns into “work”Silly and fun ideas:
- Buy a Mad Libs (remember those?) and invite someone you met networking to do it with you. You could do it over Skype if necessary!
- Go into a nice stationary/paper products/gift store and go through every set of notecards and greeting cards area. Find the perfect card to represent the feel of your brand– even if it’s not the right color. Find the feeling.
Luxury ideas:
- Buy an adult coloring book and a fancy set of colored pencils from the art store, pick a quiet park, nature preserve or beach, and color for a while. Maybe with a latte or surreptitious rosé in your water bottle.
- Go wine tasting alone with your journal. If you don’t have local wine tasting, find a great restaurant and do the same.
Like a real date night with a long time significant other, it might feel a little funny at first. But these exercises are a full out “shower experience” for your business. You know how you get ideas in the shower when you’re away from everything, unplugged? These activities will get your juices flowing in the same way.
You owe your business a date. Get on it!
