Empowering My Side Hustles and Mental Health Through an App
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Chapter 1: The Importance of Mental Health in Entrepreneurship
Maintaining mental health and overall well-being is crucial when pursuing entrepreneurial ventures, particularly if you're juggling a startup or a side hustle. There's a common misconception that success requires relentless hard work and sleepless nights, but neglecting self-care can lead to unsustainable practices.
Recently, I found myself grappling with fluctuating moods and motivation, prompting me to seek solutions for improving my well-being and managing my drive. I wanted to apply this not only to my side projects but also to my daily life.
After some research, I stumbled upon the ideas of vision and mood boards, which piqued my interest.
Section 1.1: The Role of Technology in Personal Growth
As a technology enthusiast, I initially relied on traditional methods like journaling to stay organized. While this approach was effective for a time, I eventually lost track of my goals. This time, I decided to leverage an app to help me track my objectives. I aimed to create both vision and mood boards, starting with a straightforward approach.
I discovered that using an app allowed me to incorporate images, videos, and other visual elements into my vision board, making it a more engaging and interactive experience. This feature helped me stay connected to my aspirations and monitor my progress.
For my initial foray into this, I chose the app Perfectly Happy, which has proven to be a good fit. I sought an intuitive platform that wouldn't require extensive time to learn, and it had positive reviews in the Google Play Store.
My first task was to create two vision boards: one for my side hustle and another for personal growth.
Subsection 1.1.1: Understanding Vision Boards
But what exactly is a vision board? According to life coach Zakiya Larry, a vision board serves as a "visual representation of your goals." It can encompass personal objectives as well as those related to your business or side hustle.
Psychology Today notes that mental exercises, such as visualization, can enhance motivation and confidence. This practice has even shown to improve athletic performance. As someone who plays badminton competitively, I understand how vital mental strength is to success in sports. The same principles apply to entrepreneurship.
Section 1.2: The Risk of Burnout in Business
The prevalence of burnout among employees is alarming; Gallup reports that over 76% of workers experience burnout. This concern motivated me to explore the app further, aiming to maintain focus and avoid burnout while pursuing my side projects.
Vision boards can serve multiple purposes, assisting individuals in manifesting their goals. Everyone has their unique approach to creating them—some seek inspiration, while others use them to visualize their futures. Whichever method you choose, it should be an enjoyable process.
Chapter 2: Creating Your Vision Board
I previously mentioned using an app, but some people might prefer a more hands-on approach, crafting their vision boards through traditional arts and crafts. Both methods have their advantages, and the choice ultimately depends on personal preference. Personally, I find the digital route more appealing.
Using the app, I was able to create my first vision board in just ten minutes. For my side hustle board, I included visuals and words reflecting my goals for 2023. These goals could be specific or more general in nature.
For example, I aimed to:
- Increase my newsletter subscriber count by 10%
- Monetize my second YouTube channel
- Discover new strategies to enhance growth
As illustrated, vision boards can be tailored to your individual needs. They can focus on broad aspirations or more precise objectives. While a spreadsheet could achieve similar results, I enjoyed the creative process of a vision board.
Section 2.1: Exploring Mood Boards
In addition to vision boards, the app also offers mood boards, which can help entrepreneurs articulate and refine their brand's aesthetics, style, and direction. This tool is particularly beneficial for those just starting out and still defining their brand's unique identity.
Mood boards allow entrepreneurs to keep track of design elements, color palettes, and other visual components they wish to incorporate into their branding and marketing efforts. Experimenting with an app can help you determine what works best for you.
Summary
Overall, embracing a visual approach to my goals has been an enjoyable journey. I plan to continue this practice throughout the year, potentially printing a physical copy in the future, but for now, I'm satisfied with the digital format.
I've been updating my vision board with new goals as they arise, and I'm excited to see how this process aids my progression. Although this article was created in collaboration with Perfectly Happy, the views expressed are entirely my own. Focusing on my mental health over the past year has made this app a valuable tool, especially for those new to the concept of vision boards.