12 Business Journaling Prompts
A few months ago, I took this business coaching program and learned LOADS of things. It focused a lot on mindset as a business owner, and I know that all my business owners out there (photographer business or not!!) could benefit from some of that magic like I did. Something that we spent a lot of time pouring into that I had never thought to do before was business journaling.
I get a lot of benefit from journaling personally, but never would have thought to apply it to my business. When I say I got a lot out of it, I got a lot out of it. Writing down all of those fleeting thoughts helps me to focus in a different way.
All of my clients mostly own a photographer business, so a lot of these are phrased with that in mind but it really applies to any type of business.
Preventing Burnout by journaling for business
Burnout is not it. I spend 90% of my time trying to avoid it. That may be an exaggeration, but it does feel that way sometimes. The constant exhaustion and stress of burnout makes being a business owner a major challenge. Sidestepping burnout is a delicate balance of taking breaks, being productive, nurturing your mind, and stressing about the breaks you are taking and how they get in the way of your being productive. Okay, mayyyyybbbeeee that last one is actually the secret killer that gets ya when you aren’t looking.
Business journaling is one way that I prevent burnout for myself. I KNOW that burnout hits me hard. Taking the time to write down what I think about my business, what I need, what I have to give, ideas that I have and what is important to me allows me to be more intentional about my business. There is more intention behind my boundaries, decisions, purchases and offers.
Using Business Journaling to Brainstorm Business Ideas
Sometimes, putting pen to paper and getting thoughts outs without judgement is the only way to give your ideas a fair chance. Never underestimate the power of a good brain dump.
Getting all of those swirling thoughts out of your head can be magic. You can formulate droplets of inklings into fully formed ideas, develop them further, and think through pros and cons. You can go from problem to solution to solved with a few strokes of a pen. You can get the ideas formed before you can overthink them and shoot them down.
Something about physically writing when we live in this digital age is restorative and refreshing. It allows your brain to work in ways that it just doesn’t when typing or tapping. Think through decisions, evaluate where you are, and wonder what it is that you want from the future.
Business Journaling Ideas
Starting to journal can feel a little weird. You can push it off forever and say “I will do that later" and then never get to it. Or you can just get started. I’ve put together a list of ideas to give you that little push.
What are your ultimate business goals? Think wildest dreams.
Let yourself get a little selfish. Don’t judge. This is your dream. Do you want to travel? Is it important to spend more time with your family? I know that for me, being able to focus on my own mental health is a huge priority. Are you hoping to reach a certain income goal? Do you want to be able to freely donate to causes that you care about? Want to work seaside? Write it all down. You have to know what your dreams are before you can achieve them.
Fears about your business
This was one of the most powerful prompts for me. I found that writing down the things that were scary for me (no matter how silly) gave me more power over them.
Because, let’s face it, owning a business is scary.
Here’s the thing. We don’t have to focus on our fears. Writing them down, exploring where they come from, and how they impact you allows you to see them for what they are and look at them logically. They end up feeling a lot less heavy.
I’ll say it. I’m scared of not making enough money to support myself. I’m scared of not being enough. I’m scared that I will become exhausted with my business. I’m scared that there aren’t enough people that believe in me enough to support their business. I’m scared that there isn’t enough room for me in my industry. I am really scared of quite a lot of things.
I wrote all of those things down, elaborated on them, explored them, and I came to the same conclusion for every single one of them. The worst case scenario is not actually that terrible. Future Mara will figure it out. My brain would never have let me come to that conclusion if I kept it all in there. It’s incredibly empowering to look at those fears with logic and see that they aren’t actually as heavy as they felt.
What do you want to change in your business?
This one is similar to your wildest dreams, but with an actionable twist. What do you want to actively focus on changing? How can you implement it over the next few weeks?
Want more time for family life? More time to relax? Want to work less? Take a vacation? Want more collaboration? A stronger focus on goals? To have more creative time? Get organized? Maybe you want to make decisions more in line with your values or to show up on social media more often. What in your day to day needs to be different for a better business?
What are you grateful for as a business owner?
This one will really put you in a good mindset. So often we dwell on the frustrating or challenging. What are the best things about your business?
Time flexibility? Meeting sweet people? Traveling? The communities you call home? It’s important to remind yourself from time to time why it is that you do what you do.
Do You need to slow down or speed up? Stay the same?
How do things feel in your business right now? Are they heavy? Maybe you are in a slow season. Maybe you are overwhelmed. Sometimes, because you are living in it, it is difficult to slow down enough to be able to even tell how things feel. Write it out. Figure it out. Plan what you need to do next.
Marketing Strategies | What works and what doesn’t?
There is a lot that I have learned about marketing in my time as a business owner through experience and reflection.
I’ve found that Instagram Stories is way more effective than Reels will ever be. They are built on genuine connection. Being authentic has been the most effective marketing strategy. I’ve found that when I show up with the intention of supporting others and giving value, I end up being more successful in every meaning of the word. It feels more true to me.
I’ve found that Pinterest and blog marketing are some of the most effective platforms, you just have to know what you are doing. They are about connecting you to the people that are already searching for you. No sneaky sales tactics, just genuine, authentic connection.
I created a resource to help you understand how they work, how to make the most of your content, get yourself the results that you are capable of, and connect you to those people searching for you. Take a peek and get those connections.
Your excitement level about your business
What gets you excited? Are you feeling drained? Do you need to change anything to get yourself feeling more aligned? It’s okay if it isn’t exciting anymore. Work out how you can move things in a more exciting direction. Or maybe, you are feeling super excited and over the moon! Future you will thank you for writing it down. The whole concept of business journaling is great because it helps present you become more grounded, and gives future you something to look back on.
3 favorite and least favorite things about running your business
What do you like doing? What do you not like? Does it make sense to hand off some of those things that you don’t like as much? What do you dread? Maybe there is a solution, so that you can have a longer list of favorites than least favorites. Sometimes, those things change. Make these lists every so often and look back on what you used to like and note how things have changed. It’s a great way to put it all into perspective.
Scarcity mindset as a business owner
Scarcity mindset is an issue that most business owners face. This idea that there isn’t enough. Not enough space, enough time, enough money, enough clients or customers, that we aren’t enough. It is incredibly limiting and keeps us from experiencing all of the greatness that we are capable of. All of those fears are valid, but focusing so much on them keeps us from doing those big and bold things. How is that sneaking up on you? What can you do about it?
When marketing your business, are you showing up authentically? Or doing whatever is the trend?
Trends can be incredibly helpful. They can get you the visibility that can change everything. But, I think it’s important to stay true to what feels genuine when participating in trends.
Sometimes, the trend is people complaining or is something that is uncomfortable for you. Those most definitely have their time and place (I mean, we wouldn’t grow if we never did anything uncomfortable) but, if it isn’t how you really want to show up for your audience, then it probably isn’t the authentic thing to do. Do what feels right. Follow your gut. You don’t have to do what everyone else is doing. Doing what feels right for you is what will attract the people that you actually want to attract anyway.
What else can you offer your clients/audience?
How can you give more (without draining yourself)? What is valuable to them? Maybe you brainstorm a new course or service that solves a problem. Maybe you create a merch line. Maybe you share about products or services that help them. Maybe there’s something you can do to connect with them even deeper. Ponder it. Write it out. Focused thought will help you develop stronger ideas.
What makes your client experience wonderful? What needs work?
One of the best ways to grow your business is to take good care of your people. Word of mouth, after all, is the most effective marketing technique. Can you put together a client referral program? Offer them deals or go the extra mile?
Do you pride yourself on your customer service and response times? Do you struggle to get back to people? Could you implement stronger workflows or automations?
I’ve had a wonderful experience with using HoneyBook to build up my client experience. I’m able to automate invoices, inquiry workflows, send reminders and so much more to not only up my client’s experience working with me, but also saving myself loads of time (which we all know can be in short supply). It allows me to get even more done in my workday and create more effective service and offers. Read more about HoneyBook and save some dollars!
Benefits of Journaling for Business
I really believe in the power of journaling for business. I know that for me, if I don’t put those thoughts on paper one of two things will happen. One: if the thought was valuable I will most definitely lose it forever or Two: it will swirl around and grow heavier and heavier with every passing moment.
The benefits that you will get from business journaling will always outweigh the time it takes to sit down and write it out. I truly hope you find some goodness from it, just as I have.
Digital Marketing Service for Photography Business
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