Episode 90: From Heatwave to Headway: A Guide to Winning the Rest of the Year (A 5-part Summer Series)

The heatwave is not just a weather phenomenon; it's a mental state many of us find ourselves in. With temperatures soaring, our minds are often cluttered with ideas, plans, and unfinished tasks. In this podcast series, "From Heatwave to Headway," we'll explore the first step to winning the rest of the year: Get it out.

The Importance of Clearing Mental Clutter

As business owners, our heads are filled with ideas and strategies. But these thoughts can become overwhelming if not properly managed. We can create clarity and focus by getting them out of our heads and onto paper or sharing them with others.

Brain Dumping: A Practical Approach

Brain dumping is more than just jotting down thoughts; it's a strategic process that helps prioritize and connect ideas. Whether it's a five-year plan or a goal for next month, getting it out of your head makes it tangible and achievable.

Closing Mental Tabs

Just like browser tabs, mental tabs occupy space and distract focus. By identifying completed tasks and closing those mental tabs, we can free up mental energy for new endeavors.

Making Headway: Your Path Forward

August may be hot, but it's also a time to make headway. Following these steps, you can set yourself up for success in the coming months and even into 2024.

Conclusion

Don't let the heatwave of ideas overwhelm you. Take the first step in winning the rest of the year by getting it all out. Share your thoughts, write them down, and start strategizing. Your path forward is clear, and success is within reach.

Share your brain dump with us and join the journey from heatwave to headway.

Thanks for tuning in to another episode of Collab with Kiva.
See you next time!

Are you ready to take massive action in your business and harness the power of data in your decision-making? Let’s chat 👇🏽

Podcast Transcript:

Kiva Slade 0:01

Welcome to Collab with Kiva, where we let our inner nerd geek out on all the non sexy parts of your business. I'm talking data and operations. Neither as flashy or glamorous, but both are foundational to your business growth. I'm your host, Kiva, Slade, your strategy and analytics guide here to break down what feels complicated. So it is understandable and executional. Let's dive in. Hello, and welcome to another episode of collab with Kiva. This August, we are going to do a five part series from me heat wave to headway, a guide to winning the rest of the year. These are going to be short, quick episodes, because I don't know where you are in the US. But pretty much every place has had a heatwave temperatures have been off the chart in terms of hot, hot, hot, so we're keeping it short, but also keeping it action packed.

Kiva Slade 1:05

And today's episode number one in our heat wave to headway series is get it out. What do I mean by that? I recently met with a client for mid year planning meeting, I've been doing a ton of strategy intensives. As business owners, there are so many ideas in your head, well, I need you, step one, get them out, write them out, speak them out, do whatever it is that you have to do. Because A. You can't help your own self. Well, all that brain clutter is taking place like literally that idea of brain dumping, it actually helps create some clarity, because it's finally out of your head, it's finally, it's not just the thought, it's like, oh, this is actually a possibility. And it's a possibility because it's finally come out of your head. And so whether you share it with your team, whether you share with your spouse, your partner, whether you just write it out, or you share it with someone like myself, you need to get it out of your head, and getting it out, clears up the clutter that's already in your brain, and allows you to start the process of putting things where they need to go, lets you start the process of prioritizing, lets you start the process of seeing Are any of these things actually connected to one another?

Kiva Slade 2:37

In my mid year planning with one of my clients, like there's a few different priorities that are moving forward, but there really are a few of them that are interconnected. And as a result of that interconnectedness, you know, it's like those kinds of things, the wagons are hitched together, they gotta gotta move on the same track. So it helps that thinking of what is going to happen for the remainder of Q3, what is possible in Q4, even looking ahead to Q1 of 2024. Dare I say it, but we are now we're in August. And so you have to get these things out of your head, though, in order for anyone, including yourself, to be able to help yourself and be able to start the process of outlining, figuring out strategizing what's possible. Okay, and also like what is actually been done, there were things that we talk about that are actually finished, and they're complete. But we haven't really closed the tab in our head yet. So it's still occupying space, it's occupying matter. And therefore, it's taking us away from our focus away from some of the other things because we haven't closed that tab.

Kiva Slade 3:54

So again, heat wave to headway, we are going to take this month of August to really just be focused every single week on what's that next thing, and in this case, it is getting it out of your head, I need you to do the massive brain dump that you need to do. Whether it is the things that you are like Kiva, this is so not going to happen for another five years, I don't care, get it out of your head, it does not actually become a thing until it's out of your head. I'm convinced of that. Because as long as it's just rattling around in there, you're the only one who pretty much knows about it. You're the only one who is aware of it. You're the only one who's thinking about it, once it actually leaves your head. And if you share it with someone else who can help you strategize, or you write it out. It now becomes a thing that you're like, oh, that can actually be a goal. That's something that can be attained. Why? Because it's actually connected to this thing, which is connected to this thing, which we are already working on. So when it's in your head, it feels massive. It feels huge. It feels like oh my gosh, insurmountable. Once it comes out of your head, you really start to see that you can actually break things down and realize there's a path forward, there's a clear path forward in many instances.

Kiva Slade 5:24

So as you relish in the heat, that is August that is occupying so many of our minds, our bodies, all the things, I want you to also be thinking about the headway you want to make in the month ahead. So step one, get it out, get it out. I have faith in you that you can do this brain dump your way to that next level of success that you are hoping for wanting. And also so capable of achieving. Again, short, action packed, get it out. I want to hear all about your brain dumps. And I will see you next week for our second episode of heatwave to headway where we're gonna talk about tricking it out. Yes, you want to tune in for that one. Bye. Thanks for tuning in to another episode of Collab with Kiva. I'm wildly cheering you on as you go forth and execute data and operational efficiencies in your business. If you need additional support, connect with me via my website, the516collaborative.com your reviews on Apple are appreciated. See you next week.

Meet Kiva Slade - the Founder and CEO of The 516 Collaborative. With a unique background in high-power politics on Capitol Hill and sixteen years as a homeschooling mama, Kiva found her calling in the online business world as a trusted guide for entrepreneurs looking to build the business of their dreams.

Kiva's work began behind the scenes, orchestrating the back end of businesses and managing teams. But her inner data diva couldn't help but notice that small businesses needed help harnessing the power of data for growth. So she and her team set out to uncover and tidy up the data required to enable clients to grow their businesses confidently and easily.