As an entrepreneur, it’s inevitable that you’ll get in a rut with your work. It’s happened to me on both small scales and large scales in the past six years that I’ve been a business owner.
Sometimes, it’s not a huge rut; it’s more of a light burnout when I just don’t want to wake up and work again the next day. Other times, it’s a complete creative break where I’m not inspired by my work at all and want to change jobs entirely.
Luckily, I’ve always manage to get out of my ruts and remain inspired and passionate about my job as a personal finance writer. Here’s how I’ve managed to lift my work spirits and how you can too:
Take a Day Off
Crazy, I know. What is this “day off” that I speak of? It’s those things that other people who have 9-5 jobs take every single weekend. As business owners, though, the work is never done. The phones are never quiet, and if you go a whole day without checking e-mail, you’ll regret the full inbox the next day. Sometimes, however, it’s really necessary. I’ve found the best days to take off are Friday or Saturday. The reason is that many people check out on Fridays and save emails and to do lists for Monday. I do love working on Sundays though. I hardly get any emails on Sunday and it gives me a nice, long amazing time to work without interruption.
Join a Mastermind Group
When I feel like I’m in a rut, the first people I go to are those in my mastermind group. A mastermind group is a group of 2-5 business owners who do similar work to you. It’s helpful if there is a range of expertise, like having one person who is great with email marketing and another who is great with social media tips. Mastermind groups are meant to lift you up when you are down and can help you brainstorm ways to improve your business, change up the way you work, or even change the direction of your business altogether.
Exercise
I’ve told many people that the one and only time I can shut my brain off is in hot yoga class. Not regular yoga. Not yoga out on the beach. Not basic stretching in the living room. In order for me to really clear my mind and focus, I have to be doing hot yoga mostly because if I let my mind drift, I will fall down on my ass in front of a lot of people. It’s also intense and takes a lot of endurance so you really don’t have time to worry about your business or your life. Oh, and it’s really good for you too.
Some people go the opposite direction and clear their minds with meditation. I have a good friend who meditates for 45 minutes every day. I tried it once and after about 3 minutes I gave up. I hear it gets better with practice, though.
Ultimately, when you’re in a rut, you simply have to take care of yourself. When you’re feeling unmotivated, I’ve found that it’s more important to take a step back than to try to rush forward and push harder. So, if this is you, try a few options above, whether you go for a run, meditate, take a day off, or consult some of your fellow business colleagues for some inspiration.
