Step Away if You Need To

If you’ve been toiling away at your business for weeks, pitching companies, sending emails, writing, photographing, editing and posting, tweeting and replying, day in and day out for weeks on end without a break and you find that you just can’t even, any longer, it’s probably time to take a break.

Often we get so caught up in our business and feel as though we need to be ‘on’ all the time, posting live, that we can truly overdo it. Take time to automate some of your content and step away for a few days. Take the weekend and get out in nature, spend time with loved ones, and focus on some self-care. The internet is an amazing place and as a content creator, it’s expected that you spend a significant amount of time there, but remember, the content that you’re creating doesn’t happen on the internet. You need to be offline periodically, experiencing life and the world so you’re better able to be present and share online, so don’t feel guilty. Take a break every once in a while; your content will be better for it.

Remember Why You Started

There are many reasons entrepreneurs branch out on their own and begin a new endeavor. You may have had the goal to build something of your own to supplement your current income. Many new business owners, particularly stay-at-home-moms, begin a business as a way of having something of their own. Whatever the reason, now is the time to think back to those first feelings and emotions when you launched your brand new business.

The excitement that comes with starting something new can provide an emotional high that will carry you through many of the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. When you hit a roadblock in your business, that high can waver. You may even begin to question if it’s even worth it. This is the time to really dig in, pull out those old notebooks and recapture that feeling you had when you were just starting out. Chances are, just thinking back and meditating on what it was that fired you up so much about this business, will be just what you need to get you back on track.

Drill Down to Determine Your True Goals

You likely have some initial business goals that you set for yourself that haven’t yet come to fruition. Now is a great time to jump in to see if they make sense for your business. Revisit unfinished projects and determine where to tweak and adjust. If you’ve accomplished every single goal you set for yourself when you first started out, but you’ve hit a roadblock in your business now and don’t know where to turn, it may be time to pivot just a little bit.

Sit down and write out everything you wish to accomplish in the future. You can then, work backward to determine how you can achieve these new goals. It may take some time to really figure out what it is you should be doing. You may have difficulty figuring out which path to take. That’s when it’s time to call in reinforcements.

Find an Accountability Partner if You’ve Hit a Roadblock in Your Business

Reinforcements can come in many forms. Sometimes a trip to the self-help or entrepreneurship section of your local bookstore will provide all of the resources you need. Reading books can help get you motivated after you’ve hit a roadblock in your business. Often, however, getting motivated to even do that much, can be a challenge. That’s where accountability comes in. Accountability can also take on many forms.

Consider reaching out to an online coach or virtual coaching group or community where you have numerous accountability partners at your disposal. The give and take of such groups can often provide exactly what you need to get you unstuck and moving in the right direction.

Get Focused and Block Out Distractions

All of the assistance and accountability in the world will be for nothing if you’re distracted. If you find yourself running around like a squirrel stopping to admire all of the shiny things in your path, take heed. This is often one of the caveats of an accountability group. So don’t fall into that trap. Be mindful that you stay focused on your path and in your own lane. Encourage friends and acquaintances in your mastermind group without feeling as though you need to be doing what they’re doing.

This is a difficult concept, but one that is significantly important to your success as a business owner. Staying laser-focused on your goals, your dreams, and your business while simultaneously being an accountability partner to others will help you develop and grow important relationships within your network while ensuring you’re business is inching forward successfully as well.

Blocking Out Distractions and Setting Boundaries with Family

Similarly, blocking out distractions while you’re working online is as easy as downloading an app or two. These apps will keep you from going down the Pinterest or Facebook rabbit hole when you should be working. Focusing on work when you’ve got a house full of people who depend on and rely on you, can be challenging also.

If you’re to be serious about your business, your family needs to know and understand that just because you’re home, you’re still working. Set clear boundaries around your work time at home without feeling guilty. Doing so is not only good for your business, but it’s also good for those children you’re raising; when they see you take time for yourself or work toward your own goals, it lets them know that they, too, can do the same without feeling guilty. It’s a lesson that will reap rewards for years and generations to come.

Hire Out Some of Your Tasks

Just as knowing when to seek outside motivation through accountability partners and coaching, recognizing when it’s time to outsource certain tasks can make a world of difference. When you hit a roadblock in your business, often a result of being bored or stuck. Not all tasks need to be completed by you and it’s ok to hire out certain parts of your business that will then free your time up to allow you to focus on the aspect that you enjoy or the task that makes money. Outsourcing work to a virtual assistant can save you time and energy. Knowing which tasks to hire out is a regular part of the business.

When you hit a roadblock in your business, know that it is temporary. Be sure to step back and reevaluate your goals. Determine whether or not you need to adjust things or let some tasks go. And finally, surround yourself with like-minded entrepreneurs who will motivate you to move forward.

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