Recently I was talking to a friend and colleague about our pursuits as entrepreneurs. She was venting about moving from one business attempt to another. She loses focus and can’t nail down what she needs to carry out to see her business through to fruition. In theory, she is aware that there is a problem. I organically commented, “That’s because we’re over stimulated.” She found the concept intriguing. I explained, we have too much information coming in; opportunities, ideas, to-do-lists, goals, agendas, and visions, it’s too much stimulation. Due to the nature of our work, we see opportunities around every corner, in places the traditional worker does not. These opportunities become stimuli that distract entrepreneurs, resulting in stimulation distraction.
We don’t feel complete if we don’t address everything on our agenda, or leave stones unturned. It’s like being served a four course meal. The soup and salad were enough for you, but you feel obligated to eat the entrée and dessert.
What does my stimuli consist of?
• Ideas, webinars, conference calls, opportunities, meetings, networking events, classes, clients and more.
Stimulation Distraction is Real 
Just like this image, stimulation distraction can leave you feeling like a car speeding down the highway.
How do you slow down? How do you turn off the stimuli? How do you balance your desire to succeed through discipline and self-control, with the want to stay sane and not over committed?
- Set your email auto-responder so people know you’re not available and you don’t get interrupted during the day.
- Set office hours during the week and only use those office hours to schedule conference calls and meetings.
- Select 3 to 4 projects a year to devote your energy to. No more than one project per quarter.
- Turn off your phone. If you have children set your cell phone to vibrate, and only respond if it’s your child.
- When you get a brilliant idea that is not related to your current project, write it in your journal and save it for your quarterly review. Go back to it when it’s time to plan your next quarterly project.
- Set boundaries with your clients. I’ve been guilty of not doing that and it makes the relationship difficult and tense. Don’t worry about hurting their feelings, just be polite and honest.
- Review each day’s work so you know what needs to happen the next day.
- Create your schedule for the upcoming week so you know how you have to spend your time. Leave a little room for flexibility.
- Don’t go it alone. Invest in support systems and time management tools.
I have found professional support from a number of online resources. At the top of my list are iBloom and Happy Black Woman. The writings of Valorie Burton are also instrumental in how I respond to stimuli. A last great resource for me has been my faith. I recognize that I have a calling on my life; I need to use wisdom in how I approach opportunities. Some will be for me and others will be a distraction, taking me away from my purpose.
What three things will you commit to doing today that keep you moving towards your purpose?