Solo Smarts #43: Solopreneurs With Disabilities & Chronic Illness Can Thrive Too

Summary: The need for this podcast episode became obvious to me this week. First, when a coaching client who deals with serious allergies that have the power to wipe our her day at a moments notice.  Second, when someone made a nasty remark about someone else using their disability as an excuse.  Third, my own deep gratitude for the energy and clarity of thought I’m enjoying these days. Starting a business when you have a health condition or disability that limits your time is tough. If you’re perfectly healthy, chances are you don’t have all the time you’d like to invest in your business.  Imagine an invisible foe that swipes hours off the clock and turns your thoughts into a muddle – try ‘hustling it‘ then! It’s not impossible to succeed when you’re dealing with health issues – but it is challenging. The Answer?  You Have To Manage Your Energy. In the book ‘The Power of Full Engagement” the authors express the importance of making the most of your best engagement hours.  While you can focus, Focus! When your focus begins to fade, it’s to move on to something else because you’re going to experience diminishing returns on your time and attention anyways. They studied world class athletes and high level executives – from one admirable achiever to the next, they were able to work better and stress less when they embraced the principle of managing their energy and engagement instead of their time. If this is so for those with NO handicaps, how much more valuable is this advice for anyone dealing with a body or brain operating at something less then than optimal? If you are only going to get 90 minutes of clear mindedness, what are your priorities for them? Group tasks by the level of clarity and creativity they require and prioritize the items that need you at your best. Things that don’t require a lot of deep thought can be managed after you’ve tended to the important stuff. Focus on ONE project. Multitasking and project juggling do not play well with brain fog. Kelly’s Rule for Brain Fog Survival:  No New Learning! No more learning new things til you’ve done something with what you already know. New learning is a waste of your mental energy right now.  Get something DONE. Pursue accountability if at all possible. Having a coach to meet with weekly or just a friend to help get you centered on the work at hand can be a powerful tool. Links Mentioned On This Episode: Nicole’s Challenge. Pandora.com (Search for Baroque Radio for peppy classical music & Jim Brickman Radio for soft piano music.) Grab my Silver Key.