Staying motivated as a Small Business Owner

As a small business owner, particularly if you work from a home office, and work primarily solo, it can be a real challenge staying motivated and focussed on growing your business, and doing the important business building activities you need to do to succeed. Washing loads and dishes call out to you from the kitchen, the kettle whispers to be put on, and the couch begs to be enjoyed with a cuppa! Also, if you’re a social person like myself, there can be a real temptation to abandon the laptop and head out to catch up with a friend in your local coffee shop!

So, how to stay motivated? Well, here are some helpful pointers :

1. Create a task list the night before, so that before your day even starts, it’s got a firm plan.

2. Listen to something inspirational and positive, even for only 10-15 minutes – every day if possible.

3. Read your goals and keep them close by every day. And if you haven’t written them down, then you need to do it NOW!

4. Have a list of ‘WHY’s’ that you read regularly. I have a list of 40 ‘WHY’s’, reasons that I want to run my own business, ranging from how much I will learn and grow as a person as a result, to the additional income I can create for myself and my family to have holidays together and build wonderful memories, to the fulfillment I will feel from helping other small business owners achieve greater results and win more customers. Your WHY’s may be different – maybe to accomplish a lifelong dream to run your own business, or to buy that shiny new car, or to fulfill a passion and use a talent that wasn’t possible in your current career. Whatever your reasons, write them down – and read them whenever you need to remember again.

5. Join or create your own networking group, a facebook business group, ‘mastermind group’ or have an accountability partner. Post regularly to the group, or meet up once a month on a set date, whatever is achievable for you. The support and ability to bounce ideas off each other will serve as such a help and motivator to keep going, even when you don’t feel like it.

All of these in combination, if you do them regularly, will both help you to stay motivated, and help you to succeed beyond where you could have without having these tools in place.

Here’s to your success in your small business!