Do you ever feel bored in your business? A desire to shake things up, pivot, or overhaul the whole kit and caboodle?
I know I do. After all, entrepreneurial traits include a desire to engage in multiple disciplines and a higher tolerance for risk. How could we not get bored sometimes?
While we may not like it, boredom can be a good thing because it can be a precursor to change. A feeling of not being challenged enough (booooring!) can inspire us to stretch into unknown and exciting territory. Working too many hours for too little money becomes so boring that you’ll finally have an uncomfortable client conversation about your new rates. And that moment you decide the repetitive tasks you’re filling your day with push you past your hiring fears.
Knowing boredom is natural, even helpful, doesn’t make it any easier to sit with—we’re novelty-seeking beings after all. But what if we could learn to recognize this feeling as a signal, investigate what’s underneath it, and use what we find to guide positive change in our business? That would be a pretty cool entrepreneurial ninja move, wouldn’t it?
Guess what, it’s one you can master!
Here are 3 actionable ways to show boredom who’s boss so you can get back to growing your creative business!
1) Make Time for “Constructive Boredom”
When I whined about being bored as a kid, my mum would say, “It’s good for you. Either figure it out, or I’ll find something for you to do.” Like most things, mums are usually partially right! If we allow ourselves to experience boredom and resist the lure of distractions (hello, cat videos and online shopping), we create the conditions necessary for new ideas and connections to occur.
Here are a few strategies I use for “constructive boredom”:
a) Engaging in “Diffuse Thinking”
Diffuse thinking occurs when your mind is relaxed, free to wander, and not focused on a specific task. In this mode, your brain can explore ideas, memories, and experiences, often leading to creative insights or solutions.
For me, swimming laps and walking are go-to activities for this kind of mental state.
Your turn: What activities or repetitive tasks (think laundry or tidying up) allow your mind to wander while keeping you active enough to prevent distraction?
b) Read, Read, Read
You’ve heard the term “garbage in, garbage out,” right? The quality of your input directly influences the quality of your output. When I’m feeling stuck or bored, one of the quickest ways I know to shake things up is to increase the quality of what I read, watch, and listen to. A well-written book, great journalism, or a compelling documentary can level up my ideas and output.
Your turn: Take inventory of what you consume. If you find yourself scrolling Instagram for hours a day, do what I do and delete the app from your phone for extended periods to break the habit.
c) Review the 5 People You Spend the Most Time With
Personal development expert Jim Rohn famously said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” When you surround yourself with positive, ambitious, and supportive individuals, you’re more likely to lead with those traits too. On the other hand, negative or unmotivated people can drag you down.
As a Pisces (and self-diagnosed empath), I can attest to this being true in my life. As a result, I actively cultivate relationships that feel good and keep negative energies at arm’s length.
Your turn: Define the positive traits you want to cultivate in your life and business. Identify who in your circle embodies them and think about how to spend more time with those people. Likewise, assess the negative traits, and curate your social circle to align with the energy you want in your life.
2) Go Back to the Basics
NBA legend Kobe Bryant was known for his relentless focus on mastering the basics. While others skipped ahead to more complex moves, Bryant would return to perfecting his footwork and jump shots—even at the height of his career. As his coach Tim Grover noted, “Kobe didn’t work on what he was good at; he worked on what he was bad at, and he kept working until the bad stuff became good, and the good stuff became unstoppable.”
In moments of boredom, it’s tempting to seek dramatic change, but real growth often comes from returning to the basics and mastering your craft.
Need help identifying the basics of your creative business? Check out my free guide, How to Attract More High-Quality Clients and Get Paid What You’re Worth.
3) Commit to Consistent Creative Output
In her memoir Becoming, Michelle Obama shared how her mother, Marian Robinson’s advice to “keep moving your feet” helped her stay consistent and push through challenges. Rather than waiting for things to improve or the perfect moment to act, she learned to keep moving forward.
When you feel bored in your business, it’s easy to let everything stagnate—which, of course, leads to more boredom. I’ve found that the most reliable way out of boredom or stagnation is to commit to consistent creative output. For me, that includes writing articles like this, giving talks, hosting webinars, appearing on podcasts, and creating free guides for creative freelancers and business owners. The more I generate, the more ideas I have. The less I generate, the more my brain becomes a wasteland!
Your turn: What consistent creative output will you commit to? How often will you share it, and where?
Boredom doesn’t have to be something we run away from or numb. As icky as it feels, boredom can be a catalyst for growth, creative breakthroughs, and refinement. By making space for constructive boredom and committing to consistent creative output, you can leverage these moments to push your business forward. Often, it’s calling you to lean into mastery and refine what you’ve already created.
If you need help channeling your inner Michelle or Kobe and differentiating yourself through your mastery of what matters, I’d love to help. Tell me a bit more about yourself and let’s chat!