Being a business owner can be exciting at first, but it’s after the first few months that your drive will be tested. You might not see the results you expected, and you may have failed on some of your efforts. Still, there is hope that you can turn things around, but finding the force to fight every morning can be difficult. This is why you will need to look at how you organize your work and your life to find ways to catch the fire you had when you started.
Royalty Free Photo
Let’s take a look at how you can keep your motivation high as a new business owner.
Consider Hiring a Coach
If you haven’t done so yet, we strongly suggest you see a coach if you’re feeling down and unfocused. However, you want to make sure that you go with a coach that can look at all aspects of your life, not just business. Teams like Jennifer Dawn coaching are a perfect example. They’ll help you reconnect with the real reason why you’re in business and give you the tools needed to get back on track. Having someone that will hold you accountable is one of the most important things if you’re in this alone.
Think About Taking a Break
One Xero study that was conducted on a group of 515 business owners found that about half had not taken a vacation in over a year, and about a fifth did not take a vacation in two years. You cannot ignore the effects of overload and stress on your health and business, which is why you should always have someone in your organization ready to take the reins from time to time, and who can become your successor.
If you can’t leave the business, then you have to get into the habit of taking regular breaks. One study found that workers who worked in 52-minute sprints followed by 17-minute breaks were able to perform better. You also should consider taking a long break during the day to do something completely unrelated to your business, like going outside for a walk or hitting the gym. You will come back refreshed, better focused, and more motivated.
Break Down Goals
Looking at a whole day’s work can be discouraging, but you should try to break up big goals into bite-size tasks. This way, you’ll be able to see progress and gradually move towards your goal without feeling overwhelmed. Sticky notes can come in handy here. You can use them to capture activities within a goal, and move them on a weekly grid based in the order they need to be completed. Each task accomplished will be like a small victory that will keep you pushing forward.
These are just a few tips that you can use to stay motivated and boost your productivity as the owner of a budding business. Whatever you do, always keep your eyes on the prize, and don’t hesitate to seek outside help if needed.