5 ways to keep motivated and driven when you’re your own boss
If you run your own business, then you have complete freedom over your working day. And the best bit is, you can spend the whole day doing what you love: growing your business.
But this blessing can also be a curse. It’s incredibly easy to lose your focus as your own boss – so here are five tips to stay driven:
1. Clear the clutter
It’s easy to get distracted by your inbox. If it’s filled with irrelevant clutter, then not only could you miss an important email, but you’ll also be wasting time sifting through the junk. It’s worth spending a little time going through your emails and unsubscribing from any spam – better yet, you could try using an unsubscribing tool to speed up this process.
2. Get the right environment
Cut distractions by turning your phone off and blocking your favourite websites. The free Focal Filter tool and the StayFocusd Google Chrome add-on both let you limit the time you spend on certain websites.
3. Prioritise
Sometimes, you need to try something new to bring focus to your goals. Two popular methods are: the Pomodoro Technique, which breaks down your day into manageable chunks of work time and rest time, and a strategy coined “ABC123” from the Rush Neurobehavioral Center is a great way to prioritise the tasks on your to-do list without feeling overwhelmed.
4. Outsource the boring stuff
Even a thirty-minute admin task can distract you from your goals and derail your day. Try outsourcing all of your admin tasks and automating as many of those repetitive tasks as possible. For example, Tide’s instant invoicing tool or automatic categorisation of transactions will save you from your paperwork so you can focus on your business.
5. Keep connected with your work
It’s important to remember why you started your business and what you were trying to achieve. Sometimes, you may wonder why you started a business in the first place! Have clear goals. Do something every day that reminds you why you love your business. Create a storyboard that you can refer back to in times of demotivation.
