As entrepreneurs, we all know just how often life can interfere with the work we’ve chosen. There are just so many distractions for online entrepreneurs to cope with, especially when working from home. In fact, Pamela Zimmer recently asked about this in one of my Authentic Leader Q&A sessions.
“When you know what your purpose is, you’re passionate about it and know you’re on the right path….how do you stay motivated and productive when everything seems to take longer than you’d hoped?”
Gosh, have any of you NOT dealt with this?
Daily Planning & Scheduling
The first thing I do to keep focused on the work I need to get done is to plan my day: no personal errands, no chatting with friends. Work hours are for work alone and all the other stuff comes later. In other words, I don’t distract myself – much less let other things distract me.
Next, I make a daily schedule of the various projects and tasks that I need to take care of: when to do social media, when to do my blogging, make a video, or take care of my coaching calls. Focusing on these things really helps me to stay on track every day. BUT… sometimes even that’s not enough to keep me motivated!
Ask Yourself “Why?”
When that happens to me, I think about my “Why.” Why am I doing this? Why am I making this video-cast? Why am I writing this blog post or posting on social media? Heck, why am I doing my business in general?
Then, when I really start to think about all of the authors, speakers, coaches, and entrepreneurs that I can impact (the talents, education, and experience that I bring to my business), I understand that I have a duty to get my work out into the world. If I stay in a place of feeling unmotivated, I’m not doing anyone any good….not myself, not my clients, and certainly not the world!
So, by thinking about my “Why,” I’m able to get out of myself, stay motivated, and get excited about that task ahead!
Here’s a suggestion to help you. Take a few minutes today to create a video where you ask yourself “Why.” It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. You don’t even need makeup. No one will ever see it but you. But take some time to record yourself answering these questions:
- Why am I on this mission?
- Why have I created this business?
- Why is it so important to me, and what do I have to offer that is so important?
This will help to motivate you and get you fired up! AND you can take a look and listen to it whenever you feel the need for a jump start.
Don’t Burn Yourself Out
Another reason we sometimes feel unmotivated is because we’re low on energy and feeling a little bit burned out. This is so normal for entrepreneurs like us because we tend to really push ourselves to produce. After all, as entrepreneurs, we’re creative and have new ideas popping up in our heads and hearts all the time. What happens though, is that we start pushing and pushing ourselves to implement those ideas without realizing just how much energy the creative process requires!
Then, how much energy do you spend to actually execute your great new idea?!? Right?
I try really hard not to put too much pressure on myself. For me, slow and steady wins the race, and I try to get things done in a very realistic time frame with a firm schedule. I chip away at things, bit by bit, every day. I save my energy for the long haul instead of burning myself out early in the process.
I also celebrate the small successes along the way….not just the huge milestones that are involved in every project. I believe that we, as entrepreneurs, fail to appreciate the smaller successes that we should enjoy on an almost daily basis. Not doing this can really lead to burnout, and you can wind up shooting your motivation right in the foot.
So, how do you stay motivated and keep your energy levels up?
Need some one-on-one guidance? Get in touch with me today and apply for a 45-minute free strategy session. Then, I’ll get to work on your behalf, supporting you and keeping you motivated in every way I can!
Like these tips? Comment below and let me know to “keep it comin’!”
xoxo
Amber Vilhauer
