Home Business Network Article
It’s ironic, when we had the routine of setting off to work early every day, did we pay much attention to our motivation? And, was it in the forefront of our mind to get motivated to do a task? Probably not. Why then, is it so different running our own business and working from home?
Being our own boss, and not being answerable to anyone else (except to ourselves, of course), is a perfectly reasonable excuse to have ‘off’ days. There is – after all – a culture shock from being employed to becoming self-employed, and there is often a transitional period that must run its course. But what can we do to help move us along and keep ourselves motivated?
We are all different. What motivates one maybe a show stopper for another. Fear is a good example of this. For some, fear is a challenge to be beaten and overcome. For others, it can stop us in our tracks and prevent us moving forward. All sorts of reasons and excuses will avert our attention elsewhere disguising the conscious mind that fear is the root of the problem.
It is useful to know what does get you going as this awareness will help you deal with tasks you keep putting off. The key starting point, however, is to have sight of the bigger picture.
Firstly, do you have an overall goal to work towards? If not, this is a vital component and ingredient to motivation. Breaking down your overall goal/s into realistic medium- and short-term goals gives focus and a sense of achievement when each step has been completed.
Secondly, are you aware of your core values? Understanding what really matters to you will help make setting goals a more natural process. Working in harmony and in alignment with your values is the pathway to happiness, and is a sure way to keep you on track.
Thirdly, what drives you? Think about your motivational triggers. Are you motivated by rewards? For example, after calling that difficult client, or writing that proposal I will reward myself with a Cappuccino (or two!). Or perhaps reaching a sense of achievement; being able to pull upon a previous experience of when you really didn’t want to do a particular task but felt delighted and relieved after you had completed it. Often this type of recall can really help to drive you forward.
Here are some more motivational triggers to consider:
- Is accountability important to you? How can you make yourself accountable with a task you are putting off? If you can find a way, your motivation to do it will improve.
- Enjoyment. If you have to do something that you do not consider to be enjoyable, how can you make it more fun? If this is not an option, just do it and get it out of the way, so that you can reward yourself with an enjoyable task when completed.
- Try setting realistic deadlines to your work, even if you don’t need to. Knowing that you have a cut-off date to work towards can be a great motivator.
- Working in a team. If you have been used to working in a team and now find yourself more isolated working from home, this can have a real impact on our motivation. If you do not have access to a work ‘buddy’ or an associate to share ideas with and work together, find a good local business networking group. These are a great source of support and kinship.
I will end this piece with some great words of wisdom from Zig Ziglar:
“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s way we recommend it daily.”
