Have you ever played Whack-A-Mole? You know, the one where you use a padded hammer to knock a mole on the head each time it pops up. Well, the moles don’t stay up for very long. And, as the game progresses, more and more moles pop up simultaneously, on all sides of the grid. Faster and faster, as you try to beat the stuffing out of them before time runs out!

Then you look around at some of the other players… the ones who are choosing which moles to knock down rather than trying to hit them all. And you start to wonder if they have a better game plan or a higher success rate.

If Whack-A-Mole makes you think of how you run your business, you’re not wrong. Having to move quickly to knock daily problems on the head, often without any time to really think things through, does feel a LOT like Whack-A-Mole.

Links 🔗

👉  Newsletter episode

👉  How to reclaim time for your creative freedom [article]

👉 Your Virtual Assistant

👉  Follow Justine on LinkedIn

Welcome to this episode of The Lever, where we'll be discussing the importance of creative thinking in business, and how to make time for it. In this episode, we'll be sharing tips to help you start unlocking your creativity.  

I’m Justine, agency boss of Your Virtual Assistant where we help busy business owners delegate to elevate through our team of VAs, VBMs and virtual experts. We know the value in creating space for you to unlock your creativity.  

Links 🔗 

👉  Newsletter episode 

👉  How To Break Free To Work In Your Genius Zone [article]   

👉  Clarity Break [EOS tool] 

👉  Our Website

If you’re anything like me, you probably have a hard time switching off.

Every day starts with a to do list – often it’s the stuff you didn’t get done yesterday (or the day before, or the week before…)

And just as one task gets ticked off, another three more show up. It can start to feel like you’ll NEVER get through it all. So you just keep ploughing on regardless.

But here’s something I’ve come to accept: I can’t do it all! Because if I TRY to do it all, I end up neglecting other areas of my life.

Which is why I’m a firm believer in slowing down and taking time out to smell the roses!

And this week, I challenge you to do the same.

Justine Parsons 

Founder 

NZ's Virtual Business Support Agency

-------------------------------------------------------  

1 FACT 🧐

“Instead of saying ‘I don’t have time’ try saying ‘it’s not a priority,’ and see how that feels… Changing our language reminds us that time is a choice. If we don’t like how we’re spending an hour, we can choose differently.”

― Laura Vanderkam

Are You As Busy As You Think? — Wall Street Journal

-------------------------------------------------------  

1 TIP 💡

Here’s something that inspired me recently. Slow down to go faster. A Ted Talk by Ralph Simone. Find out how slowing down everything – from breathing, eating, thinking and moving – can help you be more receptive, resilient and productive.

-------------------------------------------------------  

1 TOOL 💥

I’ve said it before: I can’t do it all on my own. Which is why I’ve built a team of VA’s and VBM’s to work alongside me. Maybe you need someone too? Here’s something that could help you decide if you need a VBM: 5 Signs That It’s Time To Hire a VBM

-------------------------------------------------------  

1 QUESTION ❓

What’s stopping you from slowing down?

-------------------------------------------------------  

1 ACTION 🎬

Schedule a window of time this week to get outside for a walk, turn off your phone, reconnect with nature.