The online entrepreneurship space has endless reminders that we need to be "consistent"...
As someone living with mental illness, I feel invalidated by this conversation. Let's break down exactly what I'm talking about and how we reclaim consistency.
The kind of "consistency" narrative I find problematic:
Is focused on your output
The aim is to for someone to get as much done or produced as possible
Talks about "hacking" productivity & optimizing time so more can be produced
Why this "consistency" narrative feels problematic:
Looks at humans like machines
Rooted in capitalistic standards
Often ableist
Places "blame" on the individual instead of acknowledging the systemic problems involved & privileges people have / don't have
Reclaiming Consistency:
Shift from output-focused to values-focused
Recognize that taking care of your needs can look different from day to day and that's okay
Make resting consistent
Figure out what we actually enjoy doing and what we don't
Prompts to Consider:
In what ways does perfectionism come up in your relationship with consistency?
Are there simpler ways to get something done?
What comes up for you if I were to say: "you don't have to ___ consistently" ? (ex: post, write, film)
the stuff that comes up?? get curious about what it might be rooted in (perfectionism, capitalism, etc)
Are you setting 100% as your bare minimum?
What thoughts or feelings come up for you when you try to do something "consistently" and are met with resistance from your body or mind?
Consistency Ideas for Creators:
Don't force yourself to make one kind of content if you'd rather make something else
Set up your profile so that when you're taking a break & a new person finds you, they can easily learn about you and what you offer
Be honest with your audience about when you're taking time off and why
"Placebo content": have super simple ways to keep posting if that's helpful for you & your creativity to stay engaged in the process
Set goals for a longer period of time to allow for breaks (ex: don't set 30 posts as your goal for 1 month. Maybe try 12 instead).
Reuse / repeat content
Have a tiered system: what you do when you have low / medium/ high energy
If you can, outsource the stuff you don't enjoy doing
Scale back on the types of content you're trying to make if it feels like too much
Have a list of options you can choose from to do one thing a day as your "consistent" action instead of doing everything everyday
Do things badly. put "shitty" stuff out there (it's probably not actually that bad)
Don't make a content schedule at all and trust the ideas that come to you naturally over time
Don't reinvent the wheel every month. repeat things that have worked in the past.