Turning Your Creative Outlet Into a Business that You Love with Ashley Hasty
BURNOUT-PROOF YOUR BUSINESS PODCAST | WORKFLOW & PRODUCTIVITY SPECIALIST | BUSINESS COACH | CREATING A BUSINESS YOU LOVE | TURNING YOUR HOBBY INTO A BUSINESS | FINDING JOY | CONTENT CALENDAR ORGANIZATION
A few years ago Ashley Hasty, creator of Hasty Book List, was burning out, trying to make a 4-hour (each way) commute work with a job she loved in a career she loved teaching fashion history - and she needed something to help relieve her anxiety and help her focus on the positives. So she leaned on something creative to distract herself on the long drives and help her find joy again.
She began listening to audiobooks and sharing her thoughts her blog, one book at a time. Soon she started interviewing authors and book jacket designers. And after a while authors and publishers started sending her books to read and share with her audience. In the midst of this, she hit a breaking point with her 9-5. So she gave herself permission to work on Hasty Book List exclusively and found she loved it as a business too. Today Ashley works part-time as an consultant for Universities on fashion history and manages Hasty Book List, where she blogs, does bookstore tours, interviews authors, and more!
Today she's sharing how she managed her burnout, stayed open to possibilities, and ended up turning her creative outlet into a daily blog and business.
“I loved what I did, so I tried to make it work as long as I could... I loved my job but it was a terrible work-life balance.”
Guest on the Burnout-Proof Your Biz Podcast
Click below to listen to this week's episode:
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Inside the episode:
Recognizing that something needs to change and giving yourself permission to make a change
Why you should start doing something that brings you joy, even (especially) when you are overwhelmed and stressed out
How to build personal relationships with vendors in your industry
Why constant communication is so important in business
Staying organized as you go from 1 post per week to 1 post per day
A day in the life of a part-time blogger
Listening to your energy to be flexible with your schedule + tips to get you re-energized
Free places to work outside of your home
How to find your next favorite book
“I started Hasty Book List as a creative outlet and a way to make the long commute productive.”
Guest on the Burnout-Proof Your Biz Podcast
Tools we discussed:
Spreadsheets (I love Google Sheets - they’re free, online, and are quickly catching up to Excel in functionality!)
Handwritten cards (here are some cute ones - option 1 https://amzn.to/2ExhXBw, option 2 https://amzn.to/2EdzFZo, option 3 https://amzn.to/2ExgET6, option 4)
Strategy Session with Chelsea B Foster
Your local library - 5 Libraries You Should Visit post from Ashley
Want book recommendations from Ashley - https://www.hastybooklist.com/book-me/
The Office* (US TV show)
My story - Episode 008 - From Burned-out Teacher to Systems & Productivity Educator and Coach
Journaling - Check out Episode 035 - with Tonya Vanderhardt for some great journaling activities
“I ended up quitting my job with no backup.”
Guest on the Burnout-Proof Your Biz Podcast
Today's Permission Slip:
Each episode I give you a permission slip - a reminder to give yourself permission to run your business and live your dream life on your own terms.
Ashley shared how she loved her job before she started her blog, but the commute was horrible and it was impacting her relationships with her family. Before giving up on it, she tried hard to make it work.
Instead of curling up in a ball and giving up, she focused on the positives, the things that brought her joy. What started out as a hobby and something fun to take her mind off of the long commute, ended up taking off and allowing her to say “Okay this really isn’t working. It’s time to make a change.”
So today I want you to take a step back and let yourself bring more joy into your life, especially if you are feeling burned out in any area of your life.
“On the edge of burnout: Find something you really love that can bring you joy to your life. And find the things you love and enjoy about your job. There’s always something.”
Guest on the Burnout-Proof Your Biz Podcast
One of the first things to go when we get busy is our hobbies. But they are the things we absolutely need in our lives to feel balanced and whole.
So today I want you to give yourself permission to find or reconnect with a hobby that brings you joy. And then to be open to where it leads. It might lead to a more fulfilled life or it might lead to making big changes. Wherever it takes you, be open to the journey and the discovery process.
I give myself permission to find or reconnect with a hobby that brings me joy and be open to where it takes me.
Remember, a hobby is anything that is fun to you. It might be painting or reading or baking or hiking or binging Netflix or volunteering or taking classes or playing with beauty products.
If you don’t know what your hobbies are, let yourself explore and try out a few. Ask your friends what they do in their free time and try their hobbies. Take a class at the local adult school to learn a new skill. Go for a hike on a nearby trail. Sign up for a workout class. Get yourself a library card and check out a book or two.
Go do something fun and learn about yourself along the way.
“Changing locations is one of the best things I can do, especially if I’m feeling lethargic.”
Guest on the Burnout-Proof Your Biz Podcast
Connect with Ashley:
Website: www.hastybooklist.com
Instagram: @ashleyhasty
Facebook: @hastybooklist
Want to bring Ashley to your next gathering to chat all things books? It's free right now, but she plans to charge in the future: www.hastybooklist.com/book-me
“The best business advice I think I’ve gotten was from you [Chelsea]: If it’s working for you, why are you focusing on changing that? Focus on something that’s not working for you and change that.”
Guest on the Burnout-Proof Your Biz Podcast
Let’s Connect!
If we aren't already friends, I'd love to get to know you! The absolute best place to do that is on Instagram. I hang out there pretty much all the time. I'm @chelseabfoster. Come say hi!
If you liked today’s episode, I’d love for you to share it on Pinterest and/or leave a review on iTunes.
I empower creatives, bloggers, and coaches break the cycle of overwhelm and burnout, and scale beyond their dreams so they can step into that lifestyle of freedom they actually want and truly deserve--and they can do it right now.
As a former teacher, my goal is always to help you understand how to do it on your own and how different techniques, strategies, and tools apply to you and your business. There is no one right way to run a successful business!
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