Raise your hand if you are motivated all the time? Wish it was so. But not realistic, right? The biggest challenge we face as small business owner’s is staying motivated, interested, on track and engaged, especially when we go through dry patches, interruptions and change.
These cycles are a normal part of the human experience. We simply are not motivated all the time and will go through cycles of ups, downs and stalls. We all need a little push now and then to get back to our routine and tackling things we don’t always want to do. It’s quite amazing, when you think about how much we all deal with on a daily basis, and how well we actually stay on track.
So, what can we do when our motivation gets off for too long?
Whether it’s a secret passion you’ve always wanted to pursue or you just need a nudge to help you tackle work or boring chores, these motivational tips can help you kick start and get back on track and get moving.
Remove Yourself From Situations that Cause Conflict/Confusion
Identify the situations in your life that cause conflict, confusion and angst and step away from them so that you can refocus. These can be friends, family, co-workers and clients. But a brief vacation from them can give you a much needed attitude adjustment that can positively impact your motivation.
Change Up or Simplify Your Routine
Routine can be a very good thing, but it can also get boring and redundant. Make a few small changes to when you exercise, your driving routes, taking quiet time, family time and having fun.
Stay Focused on Your Daily and Weekly Priorities
Have a weekly calendar of your top priorities. But break it down into the most important daily goals and tasks and push anything else into the another week or day. Don’t get distracted by shiny stuff that isn’t essential for that day.
Remove Disruptive, Difficult, Negative People From Your Life
We choose many of the people we engage with daily. Prune those that are more difficult, disruptive, negative and who create more drama out of the mix.
Change Your Hairstyle and Color, Update Your Sense of Style
Do you basically look and act the same as you did 15-20 years ago? Come on, update your hair style, color and fashion sense. Bring yourself into current times with a simple makeover that will make you feel good about yourself.
Take Short Trips, Discover New Places
Go and explore areas near where you live that are interesting and fun. Plan a lunch or dinner with friends to a town or area you haven’t been to before. Be adventuresome.
Join a Class, Workshop or Seminar on Something that Fascinates You
There are amazing continuing education opportunities in just about every community to take a class on something that fascinates you, be it art, crafts, writing, chess, travel or just about anything you can think of. Check your local community colleges, county schools, parks and recreation for ideas.
Start a Free Style Diary of Ideas, Quotes, Thoughts, Poems
It’s amazing what comes out when you just let your creative juices flow and just write. Get a special notebook and make it your “creative, free style writing place”.
Write a Book on Something You Know Really Well
If you’ve always dreamed of being an author, then write an outline on something you know how to do well and can explain. It can be on business practices or personal hobbies. This can easily translate into a book/ebook.
Read Books and Publications on Stimulating Subjects
Do you have interests in things that you want to know more about? I do, and I try to read up and learn more about them regularly. This always translates into writing or travel ideas.
Visualize Your Success, Act it Out Daily
Sometimes we need to take actions and do things we do not completely yet believe in, but we know have worked for others. Start writing, speaking, painting, piano lessons, volunteering, join and organize around causes, cycling, running. Do something daily that leads you closer to your definition of success in both business and personal areas.
Time Block Your Priorities Weekly, be Accountable for What You do
When you plan out your weekly and daily schedule, block out time for work, family, friends, fun and you. In this day and age of so many responsibilities, activities and choices, we need to plan and prioritize the what, when, how and why of just about everything.
Create, Imagine, Muse and Play
Can’t say enough about developing and allowing time for your creative, imaginative self to engage in play time. When’s the last time you had a proper vacation and really unplugged to enjoy pure fun?
Pick People that You Want to Get to Know Better, Initiate Activities
Think of a few people you already know or have just met that you would like to get to know better and plan and initiate some activities with them. Plan things that you have in common first and then get more adventuresome.
Develop and Express Your Sense of Humor, Laugh Daily
What’s funny to you? What ignites your sense of humor? Is it comedy clubs, movies, books, art, writing, meet ups, hobbies, athletics that are fun, where you can exercise your humor? Find reasons to laugh daily, which is awesome for your health, too.
Listen to Music, Take up an Instrument or Sing, Fill Yourself with Vibrations that Move You
The power of music in our lives is well documented with children, the elderly, war veterans and the power of a crowd at a concert or festival. In The Power of Music, Elena Mannes explores how music affects different groups of people and how it could play a role in health care.
Adopt and/or Create Your Own Mantras
Inspirational slogans, mantras, sayings and words can help us in challenging moments and give us just the push we need to get through. Pick your favorites, post them so you can see them, say them out loud to yourself so you can hear them.
Do Nothing, be Still and Breathe
Although it sometimes seems a guilty pleasure or waste of time to be quiet, still, breathe and do nothing, it actually can be beneficial and help us relax and get focused. Here are 18 benefits of deep breathing.
Reframe Negativity, Look From Another Perspective
There is an iconic song and lyric by Jonny Mercer written and recorded in 1944 for a movie that says “you have to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative”. We can’t always change the negative, but we can reframe it in a more positive way so that we find the lessons and the silver lining from it, which is always there if we look for it.
Seek out Circles of Motivational Allies and Positive People
Build coalitions, circles and groups of like minded, thinking and acting people who share your commitment to being motivated, supportive and encouraging.
Groom and Condition Your Body, Mind and Spirit Daily
Finally, by taking care of ourselves physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, we set ourselves up to have a sense of well being that is essential for finding and sustaining motivation. We should do the very best we can each day to stay on track and seek out help to get back on track when we need it.
Motivation definitely comes and goes based on circumstance, passion, interest and commitment.
Be willing to change things up to kick start your perspective, attitude and habits and you will have the best chance of keeping your mojo flowing and never get too far off track.
What’s first on your motivation list today?
Motivated Photo via Shutterstock
