It’s no secret, running your own business is a tough gig. An emotional roller-coaster full of amazing highs and heart-breaking lows.
There will be days when you just want to close the laptop and walk away never to return. I get it. I’ve been there.
But there are also days where you just can’t pull yourself away, even to eat. You are so enthralled in your business and everything is going great guns that you just want to keep going.
That is the roller coaster of being a business owner and work at home Mum.
For every 10 highs, there are 4 lows woven in there just to test you. To test your endurance and strength and passion.
So how do you get past the days where you just want to throw your business out the window?
The days where it all seems so damn hard that it would be so much easier to just walk away.
Here are our 4 tips to get through those tough business days and move you towards that mutual love you crave.
Take a Step Back:
In business, when it’s just you, you and you, it’s hard to take a step back. Again, I totally get this. Running a business as a one woman show is tough. It all rides on you. But when it all gets too much or it just isn’t happening for you… take a step back.
Now don’t confuse this with quit. I am not saying that at all. A step back simply means take a break and go as far away from your business as you can for a few hours, or a day until you are clear in your mind to tackle it again.
By taking a step back, what you will find is clarity will return and the answer to your problem will be staring you in the face. Or, during said time away, your mind has had a chance to re-evaluate and the problem all of a sudden doesn’t seem so bad. The solution will appear and the stress and pressure will have dissipated.
Invest in ‘You’ Time:
When your business is starting to weigh you down, it’s time to invest in you. I know it might seem ridiculous to go and get a massage or your hair done when you should be doing work, but heightened stress levels is a key indicator that you need a break. If you are stressed and tired in your business, you are not going to be performing at your peak. Your business will suffer.
By investing in you, you give yourself chance to recoup, re-evaluate and rejuvenate so you can tackle the tasks at hand with a fresh mind and body. It is amazing how a simple thing like a one hour massage can have such a positive impact on your personal and professional output.
Identify the why:
If your business is going through a tough time, take a look at it from an outsider’s point of view and identify the ‘why’. There is usually a reason that things aren’t working and once you find it, you will be able to rectify it in your favour.
The why could be you are not targeting the right audience, your website isn’t working for you or you are just burnt out and can’t see the roses for the weeds. Whatever the reason, once you identify this, it makes it a whole lot easier to fix. A good way to look at this constructively, is to follow step 1 and take a break. Sometimes our minds become so clouded that we need to step away in order to clear the fog.
Outsource:
I can’t say this one enough, outsource, outsource, outsource! If there is something that is totally bogging you down, then you need to offload it. Simple as that. It is these tasks that are stopping you from doing what you need to be doing and what you want to be doing. Once you have the time to do what you want to do in your business, you will start to see results and your love and passion will explode.
I realise this doesn’t come as a free solution and some monetary investment needs to be made, but at what cost. Is $50 or $100 to get a weight lifted off your shoulders worth the investment when you think of the positive effect it will have on you and your business? I invested in my first VA when I couldn’t really afford it, but it afforded me the time to spend growing my business which has been the best investment I could have made.
So please don’t give up just yet… you’ve totally got this!