One of the biggest challenges that small business owners face is staying motivated. When you were working your standard 9 to 5 you had a routine, and someone to hold you accountable, for showing up each and every day and doing your job.
Now that you’ve quit your day job to chase your daydream, it can become challenging to keep pushing through your to-do list, especially once the luster of that daydream starts to fade a bit and become more “work” than you envisioned. On pushing through, Adda Birnir, founder of Skillcrush, said, "One of the most important things I have learned is that businesses don't fail, entrepreneurs give up. Now sometimes, giving up is the right decision. But usually, you just need to dig in and figure out how to make things better. Remember: Every day is a new opportunity to get up and do it better than yesterday!"
So, what can we do to keep the skip in our step, and keep pushing forward?
Consider reframing how you look at what has been achieved. While we love the to-do list as a way to keep things moving, think about how motivating it could be at the end of each day to list out all that you’ve done, rather than what is yet to do? Spending a few minutes at the end of each workday, or even in the middle of each workday, to write down what you’ve accomplished will make you realize you’re not just swimming in the fishbowl year after year, you’re getting somewhere, and you’re spending your time doing what matters. You can also look at efficient office solutions like a visitor sign-in app to take some of these mundane tasks and simplify them, giving you even more time to focus on what really matters - in the business or your personal life (remember that?).
While not everyone is stretched as thin as Mr. Dorsey, it’s easy to understand why he believes in theme-ing his days. What happens when you create headspace (and actual time) for each important item that is going to move your business forward? You instantly see progress, you have the discipline and focus that you need, and you keep yourself (and your team!) motivated. Consider adopting a similar schedule, and plot out your week, or a few key days, to build that theme and routine for yourself and for your business. You may even see themed days have a halo effect on the rest of your team and coworkers, increasing their motivation and efficiency, too.
When you’re out on a run and need to kick it up a notch, or when you’re at the gym and need the extra push to stay motivated, you switch songs and find one that picks you up. Why not apply that to your workday routine? Putting on your headphones and blocking out the extra distractions can also help you focus, which therefore can get those motivational juices flowing. In a shared workspace or office environment, a solid
Tell us, when the work becomes mundane, or when the "adulting" just becomes hard, what do you do to stay motivated? And, most important, what could we offer you with Greetly to help you stay motivated?
--Dave at Greetly