Do you remember the daily grind?
The 40+ hours per week, sales meetings, long commute, office politics, rigid deadlines, PowerPoint presentations, meeting clients, and failed quotas. How about the tedious labor on a project that ended in a promotion?
The adrenaline-boosting corporate rat race made it difficult to breathe.
The coffee breaks weren’t cutting it. The rest of your two-week vacation didn’t sustain your fluctuating energy levels. You thought, “Something’s got to give.”
What you were experiencing was a common issue: burnout. There are clear-cut signs of burnout as described by Mayo Clinic here:
Know the signs of job burnout
Feeling burned out at work? Find out what you can do when your job affects your health. By Mayo Clinic Staff Job…www.mayoclinic.org
You know you need a change; however, your drive to succeed overpowered the need to unwind.
Searching for solutions was appealing and seemed to take a load off. “Do I need a new job? Fewer hours? A month’s vacation? A lighter workload? Shorter commute?
Your mind then shifts to the positive aspects because you’re torn between an attractive benefits package and job satisfaction.
You began to question yourself. Why am I dissatisfied? Empty. Unfulfilled. Bored.
Am I just going through the motions?
In this state of discontentment, you realize a missing link.
What’s missing? You reasoned.
In your moment of distress, you imploded. The discovery of unrealized creativity began to burst through the seams of your four-wall prison.
You felt restrained and miserable.
So, what did you do?
With no clear direction, you explored your options and devised an exit strategy.
The Take Charge Approach
“I’ll start a new business — be my own boss, set my own hours, enjoy endless coffee breaks,” you thought. “ The allurement of self-management made you feel like a jackpot winner.
You concluded, “This is my big break!”
Escaping the agony of micromanagement and becoming an entrepreneur made you feel powerful. You’re finally in the driver’s seat.
Decision-maker. Shot-caller. And, as far as getting fired? Not a chance.
But where do you start? What are you good at? Are you proficient in technology or business management? Arts and crafts? Where do your strengths lie? What are you skilled at and enjoy doing?
Once you figure this out, you must develop a written plan, organize, and restructure your life.
Don’t worry about mistakes right now; just get started. Procrastination leads to demotivation, and demotivation leads to a lack of productivity.
Starting a business fills you with pride. You’ve gained the right to “do it your way.” Initially, starting your own business seemed like an exciting venture.
But now, you realize the demands and changes you’re forced to make take you out of your comfort zone.
Change is not easy; it’s hard. Not to mention the nervous jitters, like first-day-of-school butterflies, your first blind date, or the first day with a new company. Running an organization has enormous demands — leading to exhaustion, decreased enthusiasm, motivation, and productivity.
Sounds like a daunting task?
Well, it is.
But, there’s a solution to your dilemma.
Here are 7 tips to stay motivated and productive as a solopreneur:
1. Restructure your schedule
With a rigid schedule and a boss to hold you accountable, you were forced to roll out of bed for work. Being accountable to a superior kept you disciplined enough to get up for work.
Guess what? It’s a new day, and the former routine has shifted. Instead of sleeping until 12 noon, set your clock as if you’re still working a 9–5 job.
It’s super-easy to relax into the routine of not following a schedule. It’s no longer your boss’s job to hold you accountable.
The important thing is creating an agenda and attempting to complete the tasks, but never attempting is lackadaisical and irresponsible.
Hold yourself accountable to perform this task daily.
2. Reevaluate your purpose
Remember why you decided to transition into a new career and what influenced you to leap. If you wander from this, you’ll only lose focus and start to procrastinate.
Refuse to become idle and complacent because this could prevent long-term success. This action will keep you on track and prevent early burnout on your journey toward solopreneurship.
3. Prioritize your goals
Continue until you have completed the last one. Need to reorder your list? Go for it. The goal is to keep at it until they’re all completed.
Remember, there isn’t a deadline to complete this list. Reaching a goal is not a sprint but a journey. Never compare yourself to others who’ve been in the game for years.
You may not realize it, but they, too, were where you are today and experienced the same challenges, but their commitment and never-give-up attitude kept them on course.
Become comfortable where you are because, in time, you will get there.
Set small goals, and take your time.
4. Organize your office
Set up your office in a way that encourages creativity and maintains productivity. If your office is disorganized and looks like a tornado hit, it will significantly impact your stress level.
Organize your office to your own specifications and comfort level. Ensure your supplies are filled sufficiently, and take advantage of any downtime to stay on top of things.
5. Avoid isolation — connect
Working at home can force you into isolation and make the four walls of your office feel like a prison cell. Even if you don’t have any errands listed on your agenda, find an excuse to get out of the house to connect with a human being.
Social interaction and fresh air would probably increase your energy levels. You could visit a local park, or library, check the mailbox, or enjoy a hot cup of coffee at a restaurant.
6. Focus on past accomplishments
When starting a new business, there’s a tendency to focus on your shortcomings but instead focus on past accolades, awards, promotions, and performance evaluations.
Don’t be too hard on yourself but remember your strengths and past achievements. If you focus on the negatives, you will become paralyzed by fear and doubt, which will demotivate and hinder you from progressing toward success.
7. Prepare an expenditure budget
Because of your new self-employed tax status, you will be responsible for the costs associated with startups. You have to keep track of the expenses you incur, and you now carry the burden of filing your own taxes. There’s also health insurance, office supplies, technology gadgets, life insurance, and business name registration fees.
You’re On Your Way
This move was a chance of a lifetime and placed you in an enviable position amongst your colleagues. There are challenges, obstacles, and setbacks that are associated with a new home-based business.
A career change or new business has drawbacks and shouldn’t be taken lightly. The advantages versus disadvantages should be carefully analyzed. The challenges are inevitable, but you will begin to see progress with commitment, focus, and tenacity.
Once you overcome the obstacles, your business will gain traction and flourish.
If things begin to stall, take a breath, analyze, evaluate, and regroup. Learn from your mistakes. Mistakes are merely learning tools to be used as a compass to illuminate your path.
Are you ready to accept the challenge of transitioning to a home-based business?