In this episode of the Digitally She Does It podcast, I talk about how to stay focused when you have too many ideas running through your head!
As entrepreneurs, it's natural for us to constantly generate new ideas. However, the challenge lies in effectively managing these ideas to avoid feeling overwhelmed and paralysed by indecision.
Throughout this episode, I share 5 tips to help you navigate your sea of thoughts & ideas, allowing you to maintain your focus and move forward with confidence. I'll be sharing personal experiences, insights, and strategies to help you to push past the overwhelm so that you can keep momentum and stay productive.
Get ready for a dynamic discussion filled with motivation, and actionable strategies that will accelerate your business's growth. Listen to the full episode to find out more!
The Digital Creators Hub
Gain FREE access here... www.pink-lemondigital.com/hub
Get in touch:
Got a question, suggestion for an episode or maybe you would like to be a guest?
Email me at karen@pink-lemondigital.com
In this episode of the Digitally She Does It podcast, I talk about how to stay focused when you have too many ideas running through your head!
As entrepreneurs, it's natural for us to constantly generate new ideas. However, the challenge lies in effectively managing these ideas to avoid feeling overwhelmed and paralysed by indecision.
Throughout this episode, I share 5 tips to help you navigate your sea of thoughts & ideas, allowing you to maintain your focus and move forward with confidence. I'll be sharing personal experiences, insights, and strategies to help you to push past the overwhelm so that you can keep momentum and stay productive.
Get ready for a dynamic discussion filled with motivation, and actionable strategies that will accelerate your business's growth. Listen to the full episode to find out more!
The Digital Creators Hub
Gain FREE access here... www.pink-lemondigital.com/hub
Get in touch:
Got a question, suggestion for an episode or maybe you would like to be a guest?
Email me at karen@pink-lemondigital.com
Karen Davies [00:00:00]:
Hello, and welcome to the Digitally. She does it show. This is episode 64. And in today's episode, I'm going to be talking about how to stay focused when you have so many ideas running through your head so let's jump right in, and let's get started.
Welcome to the Digitally. She does it show. I am your host, to Karen, and I'm here to lift the lid on what it actually takes to create a successful business.
Karen Davies [00:00:33]:
If you are an ambitious creative ready to build a business on your own terms and without compromise, and this podcast is perfect for you. With my award winning approach to marketing and expert knowledge in creating online courses, This show will leave you feeling inspired, energized, and ready to bring those big dreams to life. Join me each week for a dose of motivation and marketing know how along with actionable step by step strategies to help you accelerate your businesses' growth. So let's dive in, and don't forget to subscribe to all my upcoming episodes to each drop every Wednesday. Hello, and welcome. Thank you for joining me today. I'm your host, Karen, and I really appreciate you hitting the play button to listen to today's episode. Now in today's episode, I'm going to be talking about a topic that so many entrepreneurs and business owners struggle with and that is staying focused when they have so many ideas running through their heads.
Karen Davies [00:01:35]:
Now it's really easy as entrepreneurs for us to generate new ideas. If you're in business and you're running a business, you're most likely doing that because you have created something that you're offering to your audience, your clients, your customers, who whoever you're serving. And with that, you woulda generated the idea behind your business. So as entrepreneurs and business owners, we often come with creative minds. With that means that we're most likely going to be constantly generating new ideas, which is great in one sense because ideas are great. That's how we stay ahead of the curve and how we innovate. However, when you have so many ideas running through your head, it could be overwhelming, and it can also be the thing that prevents us about making any real progress. And so in today's episode, I want to share 5 tips with you to help you harness that creativity whilst maintaining your productivity.
Karen Davies [00:02:49]:
Now before I dive into the tips that I'm going to be sharing, I think it's important to first understand why having so many ideas can be challenging. Now one of the key issues that comes from having all of these ideas is that it gives us a lack of focus and clarity because it means our attention is constantly being divided between all of those different ideas and it can be really difficult to execute any of them effectively. Now studies have shown that multitasking, especially when it involves switching between different tasks actually reduces overall productivity and it also increases the likelihood of things going wrong and mistakes happening. So when you have so many business ideas running through your head, you're constantly shifting focus which is going to reduce your effectiveness and the and your efficiency and your productivity, activity, and it's also going to hamper any progress that you're going to make in the long run. It can also lead to decision paralysis where when you have so many ideas in your head, it's difficult to make a choice. And that choice that you know you have to make is what overwhelms you and then immobilizes you, which is then going to result in a delayed action. It could result in missed opportunities, and it could also lead to unfulfilled potential in business, which is not ideal. Now often entrepreneurs all very creative people.
Karen Davies [00:04:42]:
And with that, they can experience things like creative blogs. So you've most likely, at some point, experience that where you've tried to come up with an idea and it's just not flowing. On the flip side, we also experience too many ideas syndrome as well. And, yes, that is a thing. I've done my research, and that is a thing. Of too many ideas syndrome. It is what it says on the tin and this often leads to frustration and anxiety which then leads to procrastination. So rather than taking action, things don't get done.
Karen Davies [00:05:25]:
So this is why having too many ideas whilst on one level is really helpful because you You'll have a pool of ideas to to pull from when you're trying to come up with new ways of doing things or or new things to create. It can also immobilize us and stop us from taking action and moving our businesses forward. So I know in theory, it's great to have all of these ideas, but like I say, it is a problem because it can lead to a crippling indecision when you're trying to make a decision, which is, of of course not ideal. Now in our businesses, we wanna be in a state of flow where everything feels light, it feels easy, And you cannot be in that state if you're struggling to make decisions because there's just too much stuff going on in your head. Now I think one of the problems that we all face is that in today's world, we have so many choices available to us all of the time, and we're constantly in this state of having to make decisions every single day. They could be really small decisions, but about it's it's that decision making process that you're constantly stuck in. It's what do you have for breakfast? What do you have for lunch? What what kind of coffee are you gonna have? You know, these things that we just deal with on a daily basis because they become our normality, It's still requiring us to go to that place of constantly making decisions, which in our personal life is absolutely fine because often, we we kind of have these decisions in the bag. We know what coffee we like.
Karen Davies [00:07:12]:
We know what breakfast we like. We know what we wanna watch on TV, so it's absolutely fine. The problem is when you're trying to run a business and you're trying to move it forward and you know you need to make decisions on how what what that's going to look like, but you get stuck in your head because you can't make a decision because you have all of these ideas. And that's where it starts to get challenging because that's where you start to not take action because of all of this stuff going on. Now I see so many clients struggle with this, and I often see them feeling overwhelmed because they just don't know what route to take on how to make their businesses or how to get their businesses to where they need to get them because there's so many avenues open to them. Now I often have conversations with clients who want to create online courses, and this is where the ideas. Having too many ideas really comes into play because they struggle to pinpoint the topic that they want to teach because of all of these ideas that they have. I work with so many passionpreneurs who are skilled and expert in so many different areas.
Karen Davies [00:08:38]:
Often, they're running a business because of their past experiences. They're bringing that to the table, and they're creating businesses off the back of those. But so many times they have different strings to their bow. It isn't that they're just skilled in one area. They often have multiple areas that they've built a skill base in. So then when it comes to creating an online course that they wanna teach others, it's like where do they start, what do they choose to teach, and how do they move forward with that idea. And, again, all of this stuff is kind of, you know, swooshing around in their heads. And this often leads to overwhelm, confusion, anxiety because they don't know where they need to place their focus.
Karen Davies [00:09:31]:
So whilst, as I said, having ideas is great, it can also be the thing that stops progress and so we want to avoid that at all costs. So how do we combat this? How do we manage our thoughts and our ideas so that we can move forward in our businesses in the right direction. So I'm going to share 5 tips to help you to to do this. So if this is something that you're currently struggling with, then these 5 tips will help you to move forward. Now the reason why I'm delivering this episode today is because I know firsthand how challenging this can be. So these 5 tips help me when I get stuck in that cycle of feeling overwhelmed by everything I have going on in my head. Now my first tip is about brainstorming those ideas and getting them outside of your head because when they're in your head, you are using up so much energy thinking about them. And, actually, what you want to be doing is taking the time to brainstorm all of your ideas and write them down.
Karen Davies [00:10:54]:
Now I use a mind map. I've spoken about this before in previous episodes. I love a mind map. It's visual. It helps you to kind of lay everything out in front of you so that you can just get really clear on what you're thinking. And often, ideas come from things that you put on the pay on down on paper. So it could be that you write 1 idea there, and then you write another idea. And then you realize you've got another idea that's born out of those 2 ideas.
Karen Davies [00:11:24]:
And so you can really build up this map of all of these probably really good ideas, but you can see them out in front of you so you can make sense of them. Now what you can then do once you've done your spider diagram or your mind map is you can start to evaluate each idea and then you can categorize them. So once you've got your ideas written down, you can then evaluate each one individually and consider the factors around that idea such as feasibility or resources that you might require in order to bring the idea to life or whether it aligns with your goals and whether it's gonna give you the impact that you're looking for. Once you've done that and you've gone through that process, then you can categorize your ideas based on their relevance and value so then you can start to really streamline your thinking and and start to kind of put some weight behind the ideas that actually are worth exploring further and ones that are just ideas. So maybe they go into an idea vault for a later date. But I think the key thing to do here is get them out of your head. So whatever you're thinking, whatever ideas that you are mulling over, get them out of your head, get them on paper, and start organizing them because that will instantly make you feel so much better. My second tip is about setting specific goals.
Karen Davies [00:13:12]:
Now it's really important that we are connected to our goals. Like, we know what they are and what they mean to us as well. And we want to kind of have an idea on what we wanna achieve in the long term on what we wanna achieve in the short term as well because where we want to be in 5 years in 5 year tie 5 years' time is going to impact our decision based around our 12 month goals. Because what you Because what you are going to achieve in the next 12 months is going to determine whether or not you're on track to achieve your 5 year goals. So it's really important that you have a really good understanding as to what your goals are so that you can align your the ideas that you have with those goals. So often, we have, As I said, we have so many things going on in our heads, and it may be that they're born out of experiences that we are currently experiencing in the moment, but it doesn't necessarily mean that the idea is valid. That idea that you're having right now that maybe was born out of conversation could completely take you off track to achieve your 12 month goal. So you have to be really clear on what your goals are because as that will that will help you to know whether the ideas that you're having at the moment align with your overall objectives.
Karen Davies [00:15:05]:
Now I think prioritizing your ideas is an important step which is going to contribute directly to you achieving your goals. So your goals are what you measure everything by. So for example, should I create an online course? Well, is your goal to create passive income? Is your goal to create a business that to support you long term that brings you in extra revenue that allows you to make money when you're not at your desk. About is an online course going to give you that? Of course it is. So then if your goal ultimately in 5 years' time is to have a business that fully supports you when you're away from your desk, then, yes, absolutely, that idea of creating an online course is aligned to your overall goals. However, if you are coming up with an idea that completely take you off track that ends up taking more of your time and means that you're gonna be trained to your desk more than you are now. Well, then, no, it's not going to align to your overall goals. So, therefore, that idea shouldn't then be taken to the next level.
Karen Davies [00:16:25]:
So I think we have to be really clear on what our goals are because that's what we're gonna measure everything by. If it if the idea that you're having right now moves you towards that goal, then absolutely. If it to take you away from achieving it, then it's a no. It goes in the ideas vault for a later date because that idea might come into play better at another stage or later on. So really connect your goals. Really understand what it is that you want to achieve and then that will help you when you're deciding what ideas to move forward with. Okay. So my 3rd tip is about creating a pros and cons list and then going through and looking at the potential benefits and drawbacks of each idea.
Karen Davies [00:17:20]:
So you need to consider any risk involved, any associated costs, or challenges that is going to be associated with implementing each idea. See, this is where you really build up a picture of what it is you need to do to execute that idea and what it's going to take from you in order to bring that idea to life. So you're really analyzing each idea. You're getting clear on what each idea is going to look like should you move forward with it, and that will also help you to to to to determine whether or not it's worth pursuing. So, again, just going back to my example of an online course. So one of the things that could be done in this instance, if you're thinking about creating an online course. It's about looking at the pros and the cons of creating an online course for your business. Now it could be the fact that you are currently full to capacity in terms of the clients that you have, the time you have available, and maybe you have a limited budget.
Karen Davies [00:18:32]:
So it's really worth looking at those components and exploring whether or not it's right for you. So, for example, if you do not have any time available, but you're looking to build a side of your business that is going to generate passive revenue, then an online course is going to require you to give it time. You need to carve out time to be able to create your online course. And if you have no time available and you do not have flexibility in your calendar to create time, then is it a viable idea for you? Because the only way you're gonna bring in that idea to life is by investing time in making sure that you can create your course and it's not a 5 minute job. So you have to be realistic with each of your ideas and really evaluate what it's going to require from you. And this is obviously going to then reduce your ideas list because very quickly, you'll be able to sort of yes say yes or no to ideas. Yes. I can I can do that? It takes me towards my goals, but it doesn't require me to you to do x, y, and z.
Karen Davies [00:19:57]:
Therefore, that is a viable idea. So it's another way where you can just really think about all of your ideas and get really clear on whether it's the right idea to pursue right now. So my 4th tip is about asking for feedback. So if you have somebody that you trust, then you can talk to them about your ideas because getting an outside perspective is a great way to get valuable insights which is going to lead to you getting more clarity around those ideas. They may raise questions or maybe even offer suggestions that can really help your decision making process. So it's really worth speaking to somebody that you trust and actually talking through the ideas that you are really thinking about moving forward with. Now I I have certain people in my circle of friends that I will always go to, and I will ask them for their opinions. And more often now.
Karen Davies [00:21:09]:
I come away feeling so much more clearer about how I'm going to move forward on what I'm going to spend my time on. And I think that's probably one of the most valuable part is one of the most valuable part of the process is having those open discussions about those ideas because sometimes we see things only from 1 perspective, and we don't always take on board other factors that that may impact those ideas that we're we're coming up with. So I really encourage you. If you have a trusted friend or a coach or a business mentor. Reach out to them, and don't be afraid to talk through those ideas. The clarity that you'll achieve from doing so will really help you to move forward. Okay. So my 5th and final tip is about starting small and building momentum.
Karen Davies [00:22:14]:
Now if you struggle with starting something, then just start at the very beginning and only focus on the very first step because this will help you to gain momentum and build confidence. I think sometimes it's all too easy to worry about step 10 when we haven't even mastered steps 1, 2, and 3. So think about it in a sense of you wanna start at the beginning and just focus on the first few steps. And as you start to move forward, you'll start to gain that momentum that will then lead you towards the next a few steps to take. Getting hung up on step 10 is just going to lead to overwhelm. And so what we need to do is we need to just start small. Start at the beginning and just take small steps towards the finish line. And then before you know it, you've actually got that idea and you've brought it to life.
Karen Davies [00:23:30]:
Okay. So my 5th and final tip is about starting small with small manageable tasks. So I think one of the things that we can all be guilty of is that when we have an idea, we often jump 10, 12 steps ahead to how it's gonna look, how we're gonna get it out there, how we're gonna sell it rather than focusing in on the first few steps, what can then happen is because we're focusing down the road, it can then lead to that overwhelm because we haven't got the answers that we need in order to know how that piece is gonna look. So when you are creating something for the 1st time, you need to really focus in on the very first step. And by starting small, you can then start to build momentum and then gain confidence as you're executing that idea. Once you start to take action, you'll then, as I said, build that momentum, and then you can start to assess what it is you're creating and how it's gonna look and then adjust as and when needed. But there's no point focusing in in on step 10 when step 1 hasn't been achieved. And so we just need to rein it back and start at the very beginning and take small manageable steps.
Karen Davies [00:25:08]:
And I think by doing that, you're going to reduce your overwhelm and you can just focus 1 step at a time. Now one of the things that I'm creating at the moment is I have an Etsy store, and I am listing my products on there. I have so many digital products that I have created over the years, list, and I am wanting to put them all onto my Etsy store so that they're available for people to buy. And I have so many different things. I've got workbooks. I've got planners. I've got strategy documents. I've got templates that I know has tremendous value to the the right people.
Karen Davies [00:25:53]:
But when I start to think of how many products I have, how many I need to get onto the store. It can feel really overwhelming to the point where I don't even want to get going because I'm overwhelmed, because I'm thinking about it from I'm, you know, I'm I'm stepping back and looking at it as though I've got lots and lots of work to do. And so for me, I just have to start with listing the 1st product, and I just have to take 1 step at a time. And over the past few weeks, I've been doing this, and I've been making headway. And I've been getting my products listed and onto Etsy. So I'm building out my store by by putting my products on there. But At the very beginning, when I started to think about everything that I have created, that everything that needs to go into my store, It's really overwhelming. And so by breaking it down and starting at the beginning and taking small steps, I'm now a few weeks into that process, and I'm filling my store up.
Karen Davies [00:27:05]:
And I've made headway, and I'm building momentum. And so taking small significant steps at the beginning is what then leads to results being achieved. So try not to think about the end goal. Once you've decided what that idea is, break it down into manageable steps and take 1 step at a time. And before you know it, the idea will be brought to life. Now in business, it's normal to have multiple ideas. We're going to have lots and lots and lots of ideas all of the time, but it is really important to prioritize and focus on the ideas that align with your business goals and that you can deliver because you've got the resources, the time, the capacity to do so. Now by taking deliberate steps to evaluate each idea, you'll be then able to prioritize what needs to be focused on, and then you'll be able to move forward with more clarity and more confidence.
Karen Davies [00:28:26]:
Thank you so much for taking the time to listen to today's episode. I hope you found this episode of value, and, of course, please feel free to share it with others who you may think will also benefit from listening to today's episode.
If you are feeling inspired and would like to know more about getting started with creating an online digital course, then why not download my free ebook, 10 steps to digital course success, by visiting my website, www.pink-lemondigital.com. I will be back next week with another episode, but until then, have a great week.
I hope you enjoyed this episode of the digitally she does it show. Don't forget to check out the show notes for all the links and resources mentioned in today's episode. New episodes drop every week on a Wednesday, so why not rate and subscribe so you never miss an episode? Thank you for tuning in late, and I will see you next time.