When you’re self-employed and running a creative business, it’s really easy to be lax when it comes to routine. You can structure your days however you want. You can do what you’d like when you feel like it (or so many people seem to think). You don’t have to conform to a normal working day, or even to a normal monthly or yearly work cycle.
But this absence of routine can actually be really hard for your business. Routines can help keep us sane, and even help us remove some of the emotion from our business.
And I’m not just talking about daily routines. When I used to do a lot of outdoor, retail craft shows, it got to the point where doing shows was routine. And this was actually a good thing. Every other weekend, I would load my stuff into my car and head out to a show. I didn’t get stressed, I didn’t get worked up. I would just cross everything off my checklist and head out. And while there was always a little anxiety when it came to selling my own products, I was less likely to get worked up if a show wasn’t going well because I knew I had another one around the corner. The success and failure of my business didn’t hinge on just one show, because I made attending shows a part of my regular routine.
And not only that, but doing shows on a regular basis gave me a process for constant refinement to my display and sales pitch. Every show, I would make little changes until I felt like I had gotten it right.
Fast forward to now, as I prep for my one major wholesale show of the season, the New York Gift Fair. Because I don’t do a lot of trade shows, the success of my business does hinge on my success or failure at this show. Which means a lot more stress, anxiety, and worry as I get ready for the show.
And as I’ve been getting ready, I’ve been wishing that I had a much better show routine than I do now. I keep wondering if adding more wholesale shows would make the entire process easier.
Of course, the financial commitment to add on another wholesale show is significantly larger than adding on a few more retail shows, so I don’t think I’ll be testing this theory any time soon.
But I’d love to hear your thoughts:
Do you have routines for your business that help keep you sane? Or do you struggle with developing routines for your business?
Does the idea of making exhibiting at shows into a routine seem like a good idea, or is it better to view each show as a major event?
I don’t do a whole lot of shows each year (though I plan to increase the number) but it does help to have it feel routine. I take the week before each show to prepare for it (like I said, not a lot of shows so I have to get all the price tags together, clean some of the silver, etc) and I tend to do the same stuff each time to get ready. This does help to relax me and not turn it into a “make -or-break” feeling.
This year is different since I was laid off from my non-jewelry job. Of course this was after all the applications were in so I didn’t plan for any extra shows. This means that I’ve been freaking out a little more about this show. Now that I’m at the routine “get ready” week though, I’ve calmed down a bit. I’d say that this means that I need the routine to keep me sane. Knowing that so much is riding on each show tends to freak me out and kind of sabotage it.
I agree that especially when it comes to the huge process of packing, setting up for, selling and breaking down at a retail or other show, it definitely helps to have it feel routine, even if your routine is only once every few months. I’ve had peers comment on how at recent shows I’ve gotten a lot faster at setup & breakdown (even though it doesn’t feel that way to me!) because I’ve gotten into more of a routine. It helps, especially since I have a LOT of different products, so my routine is much more complicated than a lot of other folks. I’m gearing up for some big local craft shows this fall, so the routine will help for sure!
Routine is an area where I’m lacking, really in every aspect of my life, not just my jewelry business! I do have my regular day job, which is pretty much the only true routine in my life. 8 hours a day, Mon. – Fri., and I rarely have to work overtime. But I also work a part time job at a library. This summer the hours have been pretty consistent (Wed. & Thurs. evenings, plus 1 Saturday morning per month), but my library is in the middle of a hiring freeze and we occasionally find ourselves short-staffed. I’m pretty passionate about the library thing, it’s what I have a masters degree in, so I am ALWAYS willing to do what I can to help out there, even if it throws a wrench in my own plans and makes my work schedule pretty irregular. Throw in weekly rehearsals and summer concerts with the community band I play in, as well as trying to make sure my house and pets are taken care of (my husband has been helping tremendously in that area this summer!) and maintaining some sort of social life, and my schedule has been positively insane this summer.
Lately I’ve been pretty good about making Sunday afternoons my time for taking pictures and posting a few listings on Etsy, but I need to be better about establishing a jewelry routine during the week, because usually I just take an hour here and there whenever I can, instead of really making it a priority. It’s more important to do now, because I’m planning on doing one or two craft shows each month from September – December (as opposed to the two I did all fall/winter last year), so I need to make sure I am well-prepared, and establishing a solid routine will help that cause tremendously!
I do a weekly flea market two days per week from May through August. Right now, I can’t wait to get back into my sewing studio more often. I have some great ways that I am changing my merchandise for the fall and Christmas season and am still in major manufacturing mode keeping my stock up for the flea market for another month.
I really enjoy the shows I do and have a great following in my area. Having so many so close together is good for me to keep producing. It’s January through April that I have a problem with wanting to slow. I only have one show around Easter that time of year.
I’m getting ready for my first big show and rely hugely on lists. I have lists for everything that I keep in my google docs, so whenever I think of something I put it on the list. It helps me know where I am, what I have left to do, and what my time frame is for each project. This is how I run my business when I’m not preparing for a show, too! I write everything down and build my days and weeks based on my to do lists. It’s working so far!
Having a routine and a checklist for retail shows is essential! Saves so much time and anxiety. My last item on the checklist for the night before a show is “paint toenails.” I don’t know why, it makes me feel prepared.
While my business is still in its infancy, and I have yet to add any shows to my business, I have realized that having a schedule makes it easier for me to make progress each day. I have my routine, and I write it in my schedule the night before, then fill in the open spots with the 6 most important things I need to do for my business that day. This helps me make progress and live a balanced life, which helps me feel refreshed each day and ready to move forward. I love that I have the freedom and flexibility to do this, that I wouldn’t necessarily have at a regular 9 to 5.
I am reading a book that goes along with this topic- The creative habit: learn it and use it for life : a practical guide By Twyla Tharp. She talks about how routine or habits are really helpful in being ready when you do get to create or have a show, ext. I myself need routine to be productive- I find my routines are based on a week instead of a day. If I don’t have a routine I can walk around in circles all day, overwhelmed by the lists. Thanks for the post!
My routine is in my personal life…but I truly believe that transitions over to business. I must go for a daily walk or bike ride to clear my head and fill it with new and creative ideas… without that I’d lose my sanity. And today, crazily enough, Howard Schultz (yes, the chairman & CEO of Starbucks) happened to walk by us (we were near Starbuck’s corporate headquarters) and complimented my husband on our bikes. I think my husband’s mouth is still on the ground! Crazy things can happen, even if they are in the midst of your daily routine. 🙂
I am getting ready for my first wholesale show (Pool) and I can’t believe how much more stressing this is than craft shows, which I have done dozens. This is also the first time I am flying and not driving to a show and shipping my stuff – all major additional stress for me. All master lists have been thrown out the window as I change my mind daily (hourly) about my display and even price points on exclusive wholesale items. I do think if I had scheduled more tradeshows there wouldn’t be so much riding on this one and I would be alot less stressed, but they are a big financial commitment so I’m not sure that is the answer either. This is kind of like planning the wedding instead of the dinner party (not that I did/do either). If I could just shut down my entire life and exclusively focus on this for the next 2 weeks it will be ok … not gonna happen though. I think there is a good chance I could be wandering the streets of Vegas at midnight looking for duct tape … I loved your ebook btw.
How do you always seem to post the right topic at the right time for me Megan?
I have just quit my day job to focus on my invitation design business. It is definitely a challenge but I think developing a routine will help my productivity and stress levels a lot.
A few thoughts: Read Getting Things Done. It helped me a lot to be a more organized person. I started a weekly chart which broke out the week based on things I need to do. For instance, blogging is done on Tuesdays and then that’s it. I can send myself notes if I see anything that catches my fancy but it get’s tabled for the next week.
I also meet with a friend I trust once a month to discuss goals. It helps me get certain things done that I don’t like to do. If I know I am meeting her soon I get on things that I tend to procrastinate with. It has been the most useful tool for me yet!
Good luck!
Having a full time job in academia makes it hard to set up a reliable business routine. One thing I’ve done is to develop a longer range view, keeping in mind my busier times of the year which tend to be September-November and March-May as students are finalizing research projects and lots of editing takes place. This means for the sewing end of things, I keep 2-3 projects going that don’t require me sitting all the time at the sewing machine, but instead I can pick up and put down hand-work. I don’t get as much projects done, but I can still keep in the game. During the lighter summer months, I do more projects where I’m at the sewing machine for longer spurts. I also have to think ahead for making seasonal items so I’ll have enough inventory for the change of seasons taking into consideration my busy times of the year for my academic job.