5 Useful Motivation Tips for Solopreneurs
so·lo·pre·neur
/ˌsōlōprəˈnər/
noun
plural noun: solopreneurs
1. a person who sets up and runs a business on their own.
"being a solopreneur has forced me to learn how to handle all aspects of business"
Working for yourself sounds great in the beginning but many solopreneurs soon discover that giving up the day job isn’t always as glamorous as it seems. Stress and a lack of motivation eventually creep in and you might even find yourself missing your 9-5 more than you thought possible. However, you went into business for yourself for a reason and lost motivation can always be found again. It’s important to mentally prepare yourself for these bumps in the road and understand how to motivate yourself to keep moving, even when the going gets tough. Here are some top tips on staying motivated as a solopreneur.
1. Make Your Business Fit Your Lifestyle
Freedom is often listed as one of the top reasons solopreneurs leave the corporate world and go into business for themselves. It certainly was one of mine. I wanted to be able to make my own schedule and decide when I wanted to fight traffic and when I wanted to stay in my yoga pants. Entrepreneurship offers you the chance to fit work around your lifestyle, not the other way around. Therefore, the key to staying motivated is actually putting this into practice. Particularly during the startup phase of your business, you may feel as though you need to dedicate every waking hour to your budding enterprise, but is that really why you started out on your own?
Aligning your business with your lifestyle will boost your overall satisfaction and give you the motivation you need to keep on working, so make your schedule work for you. This isn’t to say that some days and weeks won’t require more hours than others but making your best effort to set boundaries is important.
For example, if having dinner with your family is a daily priority, make sure you wrap up your day in time to do so and, if necessary, check back into the office after your kids or partner are in bed. If regular gym visits are part of your self-care routine, you could take advantage of your flexible hours and hit the gym midday when it’s more likely to be less crowded. These are just examples, but take time to think about ways to balance your business with your other interests.
2. Find A Dedicated Workspace in your Home
Designating a particular space for your home office will help you to keep boundaries between family and work life. I personally close my office door at the end of the day when I need to jump into family time. If I can see my laptop in the evening, I am more likely to jump on email and check for recent messages that could very likely wait until the morning.
This dedicated space also helps keep me from seeing all of the household chores I haven’t finished when I’m trying to concentrate on work. Being able to work from the comfort of your own home is indeed amazing, but not seeing that pile of laundry that needs to be folded is even better.
On the other hand, you do need to take regular breaks from your office work. This laundry can serve as a perfect 15 minute distraction during break time if it makes you feel better.
3. Find A Support Network
One of the biggest advantages of joining professional organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce in your town is the chance to meet and learn from your fellow solopreneurs. They can empathize with you in a way that most of your friends and family probably can’t. They can help cheerlead you and give you motivation when you need it. Plus, they’ll be able to offer more valuable insights and advice to help you work through your problems. I have found some of the best “work from home” tips from my fellow networkers.
Mastermind groups are also an increasingly popular business growth tool. A mastermind is a peer-to-peer mentoring group where you can find inspiration, bounce ideas around, and enjoy the support and advice of fellow entrepreneurs. Participating in this kind of group also helps to keep you accountable, which is essential when your motivation is lagging. Check out Facebook for these types of groups.
4. Balance Your Workload
Balancing your workload is easier said than done, but it’s a crucial part of staying motivated. Studies show that small business owners tend to work longer hours than the average worker. It took me some time as a new full time entrepreneur, but I definitely found myself to be more productive and sane when I had work time limits. Its easy to get caught up in a project or your To Do List and work 12+ hour days. However, productivity will ultimately be sacrificed.
You might not get it right at first, but keep on making small adjustments and find out what works for you. If you work too hard, you’ll burn out but if you don’t put enough hours in, you won’t make any progress - and you’ll probably get bored. Keep your long term goals in mind and remember that your journey as a solopreneur is a marathon, not a sprint.
5. Reward Yourself
Instant gratification is undoubtedly more motivating than trekking towards a long-term goal. The problem is that entrepreneurship is all about the big picture and it may be a while before you reap the rewards of all the hard work you’re putting in.
The easiest way around this is to set yourself small goals and attach rewards to each one. For example, if you struggle to work an eight-hour day, motivate yourself with the promise of your favorite dinner that evening. You can choose more extravagant bonuses for bigger milestones, such as a new pair of shoes or a new Kate Spade purse for finally finishing your website, or a fun day out for landing a new client.
Summary
Ultimately, the key to staying motivated as a solopreneur is to enjoy the journey and remember to have some fun along the way. Self-discipline is crucial, but you can’t sustain a punishing schedule for long. It may sound cliche, but finding a work-life balance is truly the secret sauce for success.
