It happens to the best of us. We are striving away running our home based business but one day we get up but find that our motivation has decided to take a day off. We know what we should be doing but the body and mind simply aren’t willing.
Half a dozen cups of coffee later and even the caffeine isn’t helping. All we want to do is crawl back into bed and hide. No amount of staring at the laptop screen is producing any sort of work of an acceptable standard and the clock is slowly ticking away whilst you feel like you are swimming in a vat of treacle.
You scroll through your emails half a dozen times and can’t muster the energy to reply to any of them. They will have to wait until later, or perhaps tomorrow. The phone calls you need to make get left for another day as the effort required to speak to another person in even a slightly engaging manner is simply too much.
When you get a day like this, follow these ten tips to get your motivation back on track and get moving forward once again.
Have a welcoming workspace
Having a clear, decluttered workspace that makes you feel good when you sit down can help you get motivated to get on and do some work. Only have things that you need on your desk along with a couple of personal items that you love looking at such as a vase of flowers or favourite picture.
Find an accountability partner
Get someone who will chase you up and make you accountable for getting those pesky tasks finished. Knowing that someone is going to be checking up on you to see what you have done can help spur you into action.
Review your goals
Take a closer look at your original goals and make sure you have not gone off track which is leaving you feeling somewhat demotivated. Re-define your goals if you need to and also take time to realise how far you have come since you started. This can help make you feel good and give you the oomph to get moving forward again.
Define your why
Why did you start your business? What was that burning passion that you wanted to fulfil? Go create yourself a vision board of what you want to achieve and realise that if you don’t get off your butt and do some work these things are going to slip you by.
Network
Working from home can be lonely and it is easy to sink into a lull. Get out and mix with other like minded people who understand what you are going through and can help lift you up again. Find a local group that you connect with and make it a habit to meet once a month to help lift your spirits and get inspired.
Find a hero
Who do you admire? Who would you love to be like? Go print off a picture of them and pin by your desk. When you are feeling out of sorts and de-motivated, take a look at their picture and ask yourself what they would do. Put yourself in their shoes and model yourself on their behaviour. They wouldn’t have got to where they did by not putting in the effort so think about the action they would take in your position and go do it.
Get off social media
One of the biggest de-motivators in this day and age can be social media. You constantly see a raft of your competitors who are all professing to be raking in the money whilst sipping cocktails on the beach whilst you are still slogging away trying to make ends meet. Well, stop looking at them! Have a social media detox for a couple of days and start to see how much better you feel.
Exercise
When you are feeling low and de-motivated, one of the last things you feel like doing is exercise. But just going for a simple walk in the fresh air can help clear your head and make you feel so much better. Doing energetic physical activity releases endorphins – the happy bugs – which give you energy and make you feel full of life again ready to tackle the world.
Dress the part
Slouching around in your pj’s all day is not going to help get you in the right frame of mind for doing your best work. So get up, get dressed, slap on the lippy and act as though you are going to a high level board meeting or to meet your idol in point 6 above. Dress up and show up! It is incredible how by just dressing the part can help change your mood and your attitude.
Take a day off
Sometimes the simple fact is that you just need to take a day out to chill, read a book, watch a movie or hide under the duvet with a box of chocolate. Everyone needs a down day sometimes. The world won’t end if you take a day out. Just go easy on yourself, take a break and promise yourself you will get back on it again tomorrow.
P.S. If you really are struggling and would like some one to one support to get you back on track, become a member of The Small Business Kit and let me help you out.
I have been asked by a few people for recommended reading material covering subjects such as time management, self-improvement, business success etc.
So here are my top 10 books for you to pick from which are my personal favourites. Go order them now or put them on your wish list for someone to buy you as a present.
If you have any suggestions of your own please add them in the comments box below.
As soon as I see anything by the mastermind that is Brian Tracy I have to read it and this is my favourite book that he has written. I keep coming back to it again and again.
What can I say about this book? I have only just finished reading it but I feel already it has had a huge impact on my life. This book is about developing 6 habits to transform your life and help lead you to success. I simply love it and the simplicity of it.
When was the last time you decided to ask for help?
Why is it that as women we struggle on trying to juggle everything on our own? Now, I am not knocking the men out there but they seem to be much better than women at making the decision to ask for help.
Women continue to try to balance looking after the home, the family including children and elderly parents, our own business and everything else that comes along our path in our day to day lives.
Why don’t we ask for help?
When running a business we are advised not to try to do everything ourselves for fear of burn out and to seek support so is it not time we do the same in our personal lives also?
I have personally been through a particularly busy spell. I have been working 12 hour days providing one to one support to clients including research and report writing time. Outside of these hours I also run my online business support service through The Small Business Kit. I continue to run the home making sure there is a hot nutritious meal on the table each evening. I try to keep the house clean and tidy and everyone’s laundry up to date.
And I struggle!!!
To top it off, this past week my elderly mother was taken poorly and I had the added burden of trying to look after her. And to be honest, I thought I was going to go pop!
My sleep got disrupted and during the day I regularly felt like I was on the verge of a panic attack. So what did I do? I took stock of what I could and couldn’t do and decided that housework was one chore too many. And I booked a cleaner.
The relief of asking of asking for help can be immense
The relief was immense. Just having that pressure of such a time-consuming chore taken off me was incredible. At first I wondered if I could afford to have someone come in and do something that I felt I should be doing myself. But then I decided I couldn’t afford not to. If I didn’t get help somewhere I was going to run myself into an early grave.
I also looked at my business and decided I could no longer afford to keep trying to do everything myself. Due to exhaustion my focus was being lost and I was not promoting The Small Business Kit effectively and getting it out there to help those women that I so desperately wanted to. So I have also employed a coach of my own to help me refocus and drive this side of my business forward (something that I do for others but just couldn’t seem to do for myself – can’t see the wood for the trees syndrome!)
Even Super Woman needs to hang up her cape sometimes
So don’t feel guilty and feel you have to do everything yourself. Long gone are the days of Super Woman. Even Super Woman has times when she needs to hang up her cape and get someone else to pick up the pieces to avoid burnout. Be realistic about what you can physically and emotionally keep up with and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.
If you ever feel like you just want a simple chat, I am more than happy to be there for you. Don’t ever feel alone. Get in touch and ask for help.
There are numerous reports and studies that claim one of the things that successful people do is to read each day. No, not a Jackie Collins novel but self-help and motivational books.
But why if they are already so successful? What are the benefits of reading a book on a daily basis?
Because these people realise that you can never stop learning. There is always something that can be learnt from reading someone else’s perspective or experience.
But what are the other benefits of making reading one of your daily habits?
Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body
Whereas our muscles will waste away if we don’t exercise them, so our brains capacity and ability to work will lessen if we do not use it. Reading stimulates the brain and helps it to keep active so that we are more mentally alert.
Reading improves memory
As we exercise our brain through reading, so it becomes stronger and more able to remember information. Our memory can improve which can only be a good thing.
Reading helps us to think outside the box
Reading information from someone else’s perspective can help us think about and analyse another way of thinking that we may not have otherwise considered. This may help our thought process in the future and help us to find new, creative ways of doing things rather than sticking to old habits.
Reading can help reduce stress
As in my previous article How reading can help reduce stress claims have been made that just six minutes can be enough to reduce the stress levels by more than two thirds. If that isn’t an incentive in our stress filled lives, then I don’t know what is!
[Tweet “Reading just six minutes a day can be enough to reduce the stress levels by more than two thirds”]
Reading increases knowledge
As previously mentioned, we can never stop learning and there is always a golden nugget of knowledge to be found in anything we read. We can use this knowledge to help further ourselves and also recall information we have read when helping others.
Reading improves our vocabulary
The more we read, the more words we will come across that we can add to our vocabulary. Having this additional resource of new words to add to our everyday conversations makes us more articulate and can help build self-confidence.
Reading can help our written skills
Following on from the previous point, the more we read, the more words we learn and add to our vocabulary which can aid our writing skills. You may find a particular style of writing that appeals and that you can master for your own written work.
Reading can help us reach our goals
By reading motivational books where we learn about others who have been there and done it and survived the hardships it took, we can gain a commitment and determination to keep moving forward towards our own goals. We can find someone who we can empathise with and to know that we are not alone in our feelings and struggles as we strive for success.
And here are my top recommended reads that I simply love
Further to my previous blogs on constantly watching webinars and attending workshops, what do you do when you finally come across one and think that maybe you would actually like to sign up for an online coaching course?
The obvious answer is to go ahead and sign up, but this could turn out to be an expensive mistake! What if after all the hype they don’t live up to their promises? It really is a minefield out there to know who to trust and spend your hard earned money with (and I have had my fingers burnt in the past so I am talking from personal experience)
To help you decide what is best for you, here are my tops tips for choosing the best online coaching course for you.
How is the course delivered?
Is the course delivered just by pre-recorded video? Are you happy with this or do you prefer to learn by reading? If so, does the course also offer transcripts?
How often do you receive new material? Is it all sent out at once and you are left to work at your own pace or will you receive new content on a weekly basis? If weekly, does this fit with you or do you want to work at a faster pace?
Check any dial in call costs
If part of the programme is delivered by a dial-in call, check out what the call cost per minute is, particularly if you will need to make international calls. A 90-minute coaching session by phone with Q&A session afterwards can soon add up.
What level of personal support is offered?
This will likely depend on the cost of the course but if you feel you need someone to turn to if you stuck or have a specific question, is this on offer? If the facility to ask questions is just in a group, are you comfortable with this or is better to find an online coaching course where you can ask a direct question in confidence?
Is there a group element?
If yes, you may want to ask how big the group is. Sometimes a group can be so large that it is difficult to connect, especially, if you are on the shy side or it could be too small that there isn’t much interaction. Is there a limit to how many people can join the course so it will be small and intimate or is it an open-ended course where anyone can keep joining and members are left to support each other? If you are wanting support from a group, consider the size and if it’s right for you. Also, ask how active the group is and how often the moderator is present.
Send an email
Following on from the above, email the course provider a question relative to your business and see what response you get. If you get ignored, then expect the same level of service if you sign up. You are likely to be just a number and will get lost in the masses, or alternatively, once they have your money, they stop caring.
If you get a vague response that doesn’t clearly and simply answer your question, I would look elsewhere for support. It may that you are not a good fit for each other and they don’t understand or connect with you and your business, or it could well be that the front person hands over enquiries to a team who do not possess the knowledge your require.
If you get a response and a follow up with all your questions answered, this could well be the right online course for you. If someone takes the time to respond and gives you access to their direct email and phone number, you know they are taking you seriously and are likely to provide you with the support you need.
What time zone is the course provider in?
This may not matter if everything is pre-recorded and you contact them via email for support, but if the course offers live coaching calls which you want to be part of are you seriously going to sit up until 2am in the morning to listen in? And as the earlier point, what will the cost be if you need to contact the course provider by phone in another country?
Check out their testimonials
I don’t mean simply read the testimonials on their site, I mean check out who these people are and contact them to get their real feedback.
If you discover that there is no link back to a website or contact details for the person leaving the testimonial, be a little suspicious. If you do find a way to contact them and get no response, again be a little suspicious as to how much that person really rates the course or its provider.
If however, you contact someone who has left a testimonial and they are full of enthusiasm and give great feedback, you could well be on to a winner.
Ask in forums
If you are in a group on social media such as Facebook or LinkedIn or in an industry forum, ask the question if anyone has had personal experience from joining this course and what their thoughts are. You can gain some really valuable insight here and may just be pointed towards something that is a better fit for your needs (as happened to me).
Check for a money back guarantee
Any online course provider worth their salt should be happy to provide you with a money back guarantee if you find the course isn’t for you. This doesn’t mean that if you sign up and then just take notes and don’t implement any of the work you should expect to get repaid, but if promises aren’t kept and you have put in all the work as instructed with no results, you should be entitled to that refund.
So there you have it. A few tips for choosing an online coaching course that is right for you.
If you would like to know more about my own online coaching course for small business owners, get in touch now by emailing co*****@********fs.com
And if you know of a particular online course that you would happily recommend to others, leave a comment in the box at the bottom of the page or post on the Facebook page
Personally, I would have said that whilst I like to take a lot of notes, I am a doer. However, upon deciding to have a serious declutter of my drawers this weekend (oo, er, missus!) I discovered no less than eight writing pads full of notes that I had taken whilst attending various workshops and listening to webinars over the past couple of years.
I painstakingly went through these and was a little shocked at what I found. Some of these notes had extremely useful information that if I had actually taken the time to action at the time, may have helped me tremendously in my business. On the other hand some of the notes, particularly with regard social media and SEO, were now out of date so I had completely wasted my time, money and energy attending these workshops that I didn’t ever make time to action lessons learnt.
Therefore I am going to set you a challenge to stop you falling into the same trap (or to escape if you have already fallen prey). Go dig out all those notepads you have hidden and go through past notes. Highlight what is still relevant and actions that need to be taken, then set aside a day (or more if you need) to re-read and implement those action points. Ditch any that are no longer relevant or of interest. If you don’t feel the energy and enthusiasm to action them at the time you set yourself, also ditch them. If you still can’t find the time or inclination to sort them out now, you never will and they will remain cluttering up your both your desk and your subconscious mind.
And here is the biggie!! Before you complete the above task DO NOT sign up to any more webinars, workshops or anything else that you are going to waste time on if you are just going to take notes and not actually implement anything afterwards. Remove yourself from the false sense of security of being a busy fool!
This can also be a very hard habit to break. Only last evening I found myself signing up to yet another webinar ‘just in case’ there was some vital information that I may miss (and this is what prompted me to write this post).
To help break the habit, unsubscribe from all the newsletters from those wonderful coaches apart from your most favourite. Instead of funding their businesses, focus on putting lessons into action to fund your own! Also install an AdBlocker on your laptop so no more Facebook ads pop up in your newsfeed to distract you with bright shiny objects that draw you away from your core business duties!
Once you are up to date and have implemented the list of outstanding actions for your business, you can come back and those coaches will still be there waiting to take you to the next level.
Go do this now. Don’t wait. Block out time in your diary and become a future doer not a note taker.
Let me know how you get on in the comments box at the bottom of the page (and how many notepads you found!)
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