The In-Between Report.
A Bi-Weekly Look At The Work Behind The Work
Welcome to The In-Between Report — my bi-weekly check-in on what I’m learning as I build this creative life. These are the small insights, shifts, and reminders that usually show up in the quiet moments. Maybe something here finds you where you are.
📈Episode 1, Q4
🧱I crashed out last week. And I mean hard.
Phew.😰
One thing I've learned and had to learn fast was -create systems that work. I'm probably a Type A personality when it comes to organization, so transferring those skills over to my business wasn't all that challenging.
I'm in the process of switching from my old school use of OneNote as my go-to for all forms of text and media to Notion. I'm a complete newbie at it. I'm just trying to be more efficient and get on platforms that clients use more widely. It's also where I set up my writing portfolio, so I figured I should learn more. It's taken me a few weeks, but I'm getting the hang of it now. Despite it seeming to be simple, there is a slight learning curve.
As of right now, I have a better system for content creation, daily scheduling, product development, and everything else that goes into running your own brand.
💥But here's where the pressure started to build.
For about six weeks, I was flowing…starting my blog, getting writing samples together, designing my website - I was waking up on time and getting things done! I made time to study. Everything made sense-until the pressure of moving too fast, too soon slammed down.
I realized I was running out of content for the rest of the week, I had no ideas ready to go, and no images sourced for my blog. I got into a panic about not being able to meet the harsh content schedule I had set for myself-3 posts per week on 2 platforms, IG, TikTok, Substack, and Pinterest. I was also gathering information on cold-pitching and learning the ropes. I wanted to work on some new products for my site, too. I desperately wanted to have at least a few products for the holidays.
Top all that off with trying to get just one email from an editor of a wellness site I wanted to write for, and finding nothing despite looking in a few obvious places to track down this lead.
I fell apart.
Nothing made sense, and my schedule felt off. I felt for the first time in weeks - confusion. What's next? Where should I post? What's most important?
I was a mess.
Like most solopreneurs, ChatGPT is the quiet but powerful assistant we keep in our back pockets. So, I spilled the beans. After typing my frustrations, the first thing it said to me was,
"Aliya…take a breath."
Before I read another word, I laughed so hard I cried. Yes, that's what I need to do. Breathe.
After finding some calm, I asked about platform demographics, what's most important, content scheduling, and what systems could ease my mind and still keep me moving forward. I spent Monday laying out my Notion pages and gathering ideas for the rest of the week.
I'll tell you what else - I'm usually working on the weekends. I get that when you're starting a brand, there's a necessary grind, and I'm not afraid of that.
However,
I laid in bed and watched every YouTube video that caught my attention this weekend. I played Fortnite with some friends and did my hair and nails.
I'm happy to say I'm a more sane version of myself than just a few days ago.😁
Here's what I learned this month:
Ironically, being methodical about how you organize your business actually gives you peace of mind to do more creating.
You can't be everywhere all at once. Pick 2, maybe 3 social media outlets to promote on that fit your content, and leave the rest alone.
A slow burn is better than rushing products and content. My season will come, and so will yours.
Grinding has its downside. Taking a step back to reassess, like a painter gauging her next brushstroke, is what's needed to create that masterpiece. So ease up now and then.
This has been The In-Between Report
With Aliya Banks
Digital storyteller exploring self-love, creativity, and modern marketing.
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