5 Ways to Stay Motivated When You Are a Soloprenuer

Let's chat about how to stay motivated. I have said this before but sometimes in the summer my productivity tanks. Well let’s face it, I will find some excuse any season but I LOVE the beach and pool and margaritas. And it's hard to fit in all those business tasks when my body is literally screaming at me sometimes to slow down. So I thought it would be helpful to put together a top 5 list of things I do to stay motivated that have been tested over time. 

1. Create a WIN List. This is something I started doing about 6 months ago when I had a few really great wins, but then on days when I didn’t, I noticed myself feeling down and just disappointed. The truth of the matter is that in entrepreneurship, not every day is going to be this huge income-producing/ client win/ insert what makes you so excited-day. So on the days when it feels a little slow and like you are walking through mud, it’s important to remember how far you have come. This is when the WIN list or what I call WOWs (wins of the week) come into play. Every Friday I write down at least one and now have a whole list to look at when I need a boost of confidence or motivation.
   
   
   
   
2. Know your creative windows. Better understanding my creative windows has been super helpful in planning my days, weeks, and even months. Personally, I love Canva and if I could I would probably sit and create new PDFs and guides for you all day. BUT currently, there are not enough hours in the day, SO I make sure that I schedule the tasks that might take a little more energy for me earlier in the day or earlier in the week/month so that when I am tired and need a boost of motivation, I can do something more fun. Most people do the opposite and do what they like to do first, but sometimes that is not the task that is going to move the needle for you. So think about your energy levels throughout the day and the month and how you can maximize that based on your to-do list. 
   
   
3. Give yourself a break but come back! I have noticed a trend on social media lately where everyone including myself is talking about taking breaks, resting, creating more white space. And trust me I am here for it. But if you take a break, you have to come back. At some point, you need to get back on a schedule where you are allowing yourself some time to work on your goals, business, etc. One of the ways that I do this is to try to be more consistent with time off so my brain gets used to taking a break, starting again, taking a break, starting again. And as a bonus, I get more breaks! If you haven’t heard me say before, whitespace and downtime have literally changed my business. More work does not equal more success. But you have to figure out when to work and when to take a break and make it align with your schedule.
   
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4. Consistency will win every single time. This stat blows my mind every time but only 1% of anyone reading a statement, action, activity, etc. will actually do it. So if you want to be more well known, attract more clients, better results, take action. Be consistent. Because the chances are, your competition will not. Create a schedule that you can stick to. Use that as motivation. The easiest step (as an example reading 10 minutes a day of something that will help grow your business), most will not do. You can do it.
   
   
5. Set reminders. This one is easy and simple, but if you need a boost of motivation, apply some pressure. Use a timer. Set reminders. I use Amazon Alexa and my apple watch for everything. As an example, I had a task on my sprinkles list to order new pictures (from our recent vacation). It is kind of annoying and I had to organize them and I just didn’t want to do it. But I did want cute beach pictures in my office. So I set a timer for 10 minutes. And was like, HOLLY, just do it. I ordered them in about 7 minutes and was done. Most tasks don’t take as long as you think.

I hope these tips help you stay focused on motivated even when you are having a tough week. Build them into your routine and schedule so it becomes second nature. I’ll see you in the 1% club of those who are going to take action and do it! I know you can. 

Want to hear the other 5 things I do to stay motivated? Check them out in the Strategy Lab in the Crush the Rush Club!